apparently ask for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "apparently ask for" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used when indicating that someone seems to be requesting something, but the phrasing is awkward. Example: "She apparently asks for help, but I'm not sure if she really needs it."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

One CEO of a large corporation would, apparently, ask for a tray of cookies every night which she would proceed to chew and place back on the tray.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Apparently asking for better pay and conditions makes people terrorists these days.

Independent

A chief executive of one big company was apparently asked for sponsorship money; when he refused he found his hotel reservation cancelled.

The Economist

The police said the officer, Randall Kerrick, 27, fired 12 bullets, 10 of which hit Mr. Ferrell as he ran toward Officer Kerrick and two other officers, apparently asking for help.

The New York Times

It's possible that her diva demands may have pushed up the cost, since she apparently asked for 120 bath towels and five living-room suites during her American tour.

The Guardian - Music

A reported row between him and the directors – Chailly apparently asked for some changes to the staging – is such a run-of-the-mill circumstance of opera that it's hardly worth mentioning: the musical triumph far outshone the dramaturgy.

The Guardian - Music

When Matt Smith was mulling over whether to join the cast of Anthony Neilson's Unreachable at the Royal Court, he apparently asked for advice from Jonjo O'Neill, with whom he now stars in the play.

The Guardian

The user's "Games and Apps collection" icon is now at the top right of the screen, not the bottom, and browsing it involves scrolling from left to right not up and down – a feature owners have apparently asked for.

The Guardian - Tech

But Mr. Jenrette, who was appointed last week to the added positions of president and chief executive, apparently asked for his name to be withdrawn for consideration for the prestigious position, choosing instead to continue at the diversified New York-based insurer.

The New York Times

BlackBerry has also apparently asked for preliminary expressions from Intel, LG and Samsung, by early next week.

TechCrunch

In return, the opposition leader apparently asked for a direct one-to-one meeting with the Supreme Leader and the chance to speak on TV and radio.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for clearer alternatives like "seems to request" or "appears to ask for" to avoid awkward phrasing and ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid combining "apparently" with "ask for" as it often leads to wordy and less direct sentences. Choose a single, clear verb like "request" or rephrase using "seems to be asking for".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "apparently ask for" functions as a verb phrase aiming to convey a sense of indirectness or uncertainty surrounding a request. Ludwig AI notes this phrase is not standard and can be awkward, suggesting clearer alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "apparently ask for" is a grammatically awkward and uncommon phrase used to indicate that someone seems to be making a request in an indirect or uncertain manner. Ludwig AI flags this phrase as non-standard and suggests using clearer alternatives such as "seems to request" or "appears to "ask for"". Although the phrase appears mainly in news and media contexts, its infrequent use and grammatical issues make it advisable to opt for more direct and grammatically sound alternatives in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seem to request

Replaces "apparently ask for" with a more direct and grammatically sound equivalent.

appear to ask for

Similar to "seem to request", focusing on the visible impression of the request.

apparently request

Removes the redundant "ask for", relying on "apparently" to carry the meaning.

ostensibly request

Adds a layer of potential hidden motives behind the request.

purport to ask for

Highlights the claim or pretense of making a request.

supposedly ask for

Indicates a lack of certainty about the request being made.

reportedly ask for

Attributes the request to a report or external source.

gives the impression of asking for

Rephrases to focus on the impression created by the action.

it seems they are asking for

Turns the phrase into a clause, emphasizing the observer's perspective.

it appears they are requesting

Similar to the previous phrase, using "appears" instead of "seems" and "requesting" instead of "asking for".

FAQs

What does "apparently ask for" mean?

The phrase "apparently ask for" means that someone seems to be requesting something, but it's not entirely certain or explicit. It's often better to use clearer alternatives like "seems to request" or "appears to "ask for"".

Is it grammatically correct to say "apparently ask for"?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "apparently ask for" is awkward and not idiomatic. It's more common and grammatically sound to use phrases like "seems to "ask for"" or "appears to request".

What can I say instead of "apparently ask for"?

You can use alternatives such as "seems to request", "appears to "ask for"", or "ostensibly request", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How can I improve a sentence that uses "apparently ask for"?

Try replacing "apparently ask for" with a stronger, clearer verb like "request", or rephrase the sentence to use "seems to be "asking for"" or "appears to be requesting". For example, instead of "He apparently "asked for" a raise", say "He seems to be "asking for" a raise" or "He apparently requested a raise".