ostensibly clear

USAGE SUMMARY

"ostensibly clear" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
You can use "ostensibly clear" when you want to convey that something appears to be clear or obvious, but there may be underlying or hidden factors that make it less clear. Example: The company's financial records were ostensibly clear, but upon closer examination, discrepancies were found suggesting possible fraud.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The music might feel rhythmically stable on the surface, but having the guitar lines work with tiny microintervals creates clashing harmonic overtones that lurk busily below the surface – like the blurring of ostensibly clear lines in a Bridget Riley painting.

The Guardian - Music

For example, what is ostensibly clear is that social media existed before Web 2.0 first coined by O'Reilly in 2005.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Last month two board members, including Al Gore, America's former vice-president, issued a report ostensibly clearing Apple's boss of responsibility, but confusingly and contradictorily detailing bad options grants (and even a fictitious board meeting) that involved Mr Jobs.Mr Jobs will not be in the clear until regulators give their own verdict.

The Economist

Page A4 SYRIA COMMITS TO DEADLINE The Syrian government has agreed to withdraw its security forces from in and around major population centers by April 10, ostensibly clearing the way for a general cease-fire two days later, a special envoy told the United Nations Security Council.

The New York Times

Unlike the Syrian rebels whom Obama for years declined to arm – a decision that is now the subject of sharp recrimination for ostensibly clearing a path for the rise of Isis – US forces have known and worked closely with the peshmerga for a generation, albeit with diplomatic distance.

The Guardian

For Americans who were still upset that nobody had been held responsible for the crimes that led to the financial crisis of 2008, the punishment of Cohen's company was, ostensibly, a clear victory for the forces of fairness and integrity.

The New Yorker

Repeated blocking of Sinn Féin demands has led the party to consider collapsing the institutions again, and it is unlikely to allow the six weeks of Robinson's absence from the post of first minister, announced today – while he ostensibly seeks to clear his name – to elapse before provoking a further, possibly terminal, crisis.

The Guardian - Opinion

(A year is no trivial measure in SNCC's history: in 1967 Carmichael was still a leading spokesman, but in 1968 he was fired, ostensibly for failing to clear his speeches with the national office).

The New York Times - Books

"The Clear Sky" ostensibly was about a Soviet soldier who is taken prisoner by the Germans in World War II and discovers on his release that the fact of his capture has made him an outcast in society and in the Communist Party.

The New York Times - Arts

When it is clear that Tom and Beth, ostensibly the cad and the victim, have found renewed lives with new partners, Karen and Gabe are stripped of the protective roles they played as best friends.

The New York Times

By the morning after North Korea's most serious artillery attack on the South in decades, the unofficial American consensus had coalesced around a clear, unsurprising, and ostensibly comforting position: "The United States and its allies should hold Beijing responsible for putting a stop to Mr. Kim's dangerous behavior," as the Washington Post editorial page put it.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ostensibly clear" to introduce a statement or situation that seems straightforward but might have underlying complexities or hidden issues.

Common error

Avoid using "ostensibly clear" when the situation is genuinely and demonstrably clear without any potential for hidden issues or alternative interpretations. Using it in such cases can weaken your writing by implying uncertainty where none exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ostensibly clear" functions as an adverbial modifier combined with an adjective. It indicates that something appears to be clear but may not actually be so. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and provides examples where it qualifies statements with a hint of skepticism.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ostensibly clear" is grammatically correct but relatively rare, as Ludwig demonstrates with a limited number of examples. It's used to describe situations that appear straightforward but might conceal complexities or hidden issues. Commonly found in news and science contexts, it conveys a sense of skepticism or invites further investigation. Ludwig's analysis emphasizes its function as an adverbial modifier combined with an adjective and indicates it is best used when you want to imply uncertainty where it seems like there should not be uncertainty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ostensibly obvious

Substitutes "clear" with "obvious", keeping a similar level of formality.

apparently obvious

Replaces "ostensibly" with "apparently", emphasizing the surface-level appearance of being obvious.

seemingly obvious

Uses "seemingly" instead of "ostensibly", indicating a clarity that may not be entirely genuine.

apparently evident

Uses "apparently" and "evident" to suggest an outward appearance of clarity.

outwardly clear

Focuses on the external appearance of clarity.

superficially clear

Highlights that the clarity is only on the surface level.

ostensibly straightforward

Replaces "clear" with "straightforward", indicating an apparent simplicity.

on the surface clear

Emphasizes that the clarity is only at first glance.

professedly clear

Suggests that the clarity is claimed or professed, but may not be true.

allegedly clear

Implies that the clarity is claimed but potentially dubious.

FAQs

How to use "ostensibly clear" in a sentence?

Use "ostensibly clear" when you want to convey that something appears to be clear or obvious, but there may be underlying or hidden factors that make it less clear. For example: "The company's financial records were "ostensibly clear", but upon closer examination, discrepancies were found."

What can I say instead of "ostensibly clear"?

You can use alternatives like "apparently obvious", "seemingly obvious", or "superficially clear" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "ostensibly clear" and "obviously clear"?

"Ostensibly clear" suggests an appearance of clarity that might be deceptive, whereas "obviously clear" implies a genuine and undeniable clarity.

When is it appropriate to use "ostensibly clear" in writing?

It's appropriate when describing a situation that seems clear at first glance but requires deeper investigation or critical thinking to understand fully. This nuance makes ""ostensibly clear"" useful for expressing skepticism or highlighting potential deception.