appear to notice

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appear to notice" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing someone's perception or awareness of something that may not be immediately obvious. Example: "She seemed to appear to notice the subtle changes in his behavior during the meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

He doesn't appear to notice.

The New York Times

At first, Mr. Hafez does not appear to notice the boy, walking there beside him.

The New Yorker

Drivers did not appear to notice, or care, leaving their cars in the yellow zone.

The New York Times

When he sneaked away, he said, his unit did not appear to notice.

The New York Times

Many parkgoers did not appear to notice the broken tree limb above the site of Saturday's accident.

The New York Times

At mosques, the campaign for control was so quiet and well coördinated that most Cairenes didn't appear to notice.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

No one appeared to notice.

The Guardian - Travel

Few tourists, if any, appeared to notice him.

The New York Times

That pocketed a handy £5.5 billion a year and no one appeared to notice.

The Economist

Unfortunately nobody appeared to notice his condition until it was too late".

Independent

He buckled his without appearing to notice what he was doing.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "appear to notice" to subtly indicate a lack of awareness, especially when direct observation might suggest otherwise. It's useful when implying a disconnect between action and perception.

Common error

Avoid using "appear to notice" when the lack of awareness is blatantly obvious. It's more effective when there's a reasonable expectation that something should be noticed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appear to notice" functions as a verb phrase used to express a perception or observation about someone's lack of awareness or attention. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase is grammatically sound, suggesting its legitimacy in written communication.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

87%

Wiki

8%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "appear to notice" is a common and grammatically sound verb phrase used to indicate a lack of overt awareness or recognition. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it serves to convey a subjective assessment of someone's perception. Alternatives such as "seem to observe" or "not seem aware of" can be used to add nuance. When using the phrase, it's best to avoid redundancy by ensuring the lack of awareness isn't already blatantly obvious.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seem to observe

Replaces "appear" with "seem" and "notice" with "observe", focusing on the act of watching without necessarily understanding.

seem to recognize

Replaces "notice" with "recognize", suggesting a lack of acknowledgement rather than simple awareness.

not seem aware of

Emphasizes a lack of awareness using a negative construction with "aware".

fail to register

Focuses on the lack of mental processing or acknowledgement.

remain oblivious to

Highlights a state of unawareness, often implying a lack of concern.

not pay attention to

Indicates a lack of focus or interest in something.

overlook

Implies a failure to see or consider something important.

disregard

Suggests a conscious decision to ignore something.

miss

A simple and direct way to express a failure to notice.

be blind to

Emphasizes a complete inability to see or understand something, often metaphorical.

FAQs

How can I use "appear to notice" in a sentence?

You can use "appear to notice" to describe a situation where someone doesn't seem to be aware of something. For example, "He didn't "appear to notice" the mistake in the document."

What are some alternatives to "appear to notice"?

Alternatives include "seem to observe", "seem to recognize", or "not seem aware of", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to include "appear" when describing someone's lack of awareness?

No, you can often simply state that someone "didn't notice" something. However, ""appear to notice"" adds a layer of subtlety, suggesting that there might be a reason for the lack of awareness, or that the lack of awareness is surprising.

What's the difference between "appear to notice" and "notice"?

"Notice" implies a direct observation and acknowledgement, whereas ""appear to notice"" suggests that, outwardly, there's no indication of that acknowledgement. For instance, "He noticed the error" means he saw it and likely reacted. "He didn't "appear to notice" the error" means he gave no indication that he saw it.