purportedly so

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "purportedly so" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is claimed or alleged to be true, but without confirmation of its truth. Example: "The report stated that the project was completed on time, purportedly so, but further investigation revealed delays."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Since the late 1980s the armoured trains have housed SS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles, whose mobility and accuracy was purportedly so great that the railway weapon was nicknamed "Scalpel".

The Guardian

Abbott has proposed the Coalition will spend $20m to buy boats from local fishermen, purportedly so they do not sell them to people-smugglers first, part of his $420m package aimed at curbing the number of unauthorised boat arrivals.

The Guardian

Najibullah is asked to describe his surroundings, purportedly so that we can "see them through his eyes", but actually so that no one has to conjure them up on stage; a professor is asked to deliver an account of his country's history and is told, with no apparent irony, that he should do so in "bullet points".

The Guardian

Some bright person came up with the idea of sending lots of these unfortunates off to foreign countries on a gap year, purportedly so they can learn new skills and improve their employability – oh, and learn about other cultures and stuff.

The Guardian - Opinion

Transforming our political culture's baser moments into money-making opportunities is pretty old-hat (search for the phrase "fundraises off of" sometime if you doubt this), but Shiner has caught No Labels with its collective pants down, leaving its unseemly hope for more of the division that they are purportedly so heartsick about just dangling in the wind.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

This change was purportedly made so that the company could cash in on weddings at sea.

The New York Times

A division into good and purportedly not so good would certainly be one method of categorizing the films in Lincoln Center's series.

The New York Times

Aristotle (384 322 bc) recounts a different story, claiming that Hippocrates was cheated by customs officers in Byzantium; he purportedly did so to show that, although Hippocrates was a good geometer, he was incompetent to handle the ordinary affairs of life.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Though minorities in the European Parliament, these parties will claim to bring the voices of the populace into the halls of the elite, challenging the legislative and administrative processes that have purportedly strayed so far from the original European promise.

European Journal of Futures Research

I am purportedly infertile, so that could be my only real chance of motherhood.

Vice

How did this disease, which purportedly affected so many women and was studied extensively by some of the greatest medical minds of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and is now the focus of a new Hollywood movie, manage to disappear?

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "purportedly so" when you want to indicate that something is claimed to be true, but you are not necessarily endorsing or confirming its truth. It adds a layer of skepticism or detachment.

Common error

While acceptable, "purportedly so" might sound redundant in very formal contexts. Consider using stronger verbs or adverbs that directly convey uncertainty, such as "allegedly", "reportedly", or "apparently" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "purportedly so" functions as an adverbial modifier, adding a layer of uncertainty or skepticism to a statement. As Ludwig AI points out, it indicates that something is claimed to be true, but without verifying its truth.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "purportedly so" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express that something is claimed to be true without confirming it. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's suitable for contexts where a degree of skepticism or detachment is desired. While relatively rare, it is predominantly found in news and media sources. When writing, consider alternative phrases like "allegedly so" or "reportedly so" to achieve similar effects. Be mindful of overuse in overly formal settings, where simpler alternatives might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

allegedly so

Replaces "purportedly" with "allegedly", emphasizing the unverified nature of the claim.

reportedly so

Replaces "purportedly" with "reportedly", highlighting that the information comes from a report.

ostensibly so

Uses "ostensibly" instead of "purportedly", focusing on the apparent or surface-level reason.

supposedly so

Substitutes "purportedly" with "supposedly", suggesting the information is based on hearsay or assumption.

professedly so

Replaces "purportedly" with "professedly", indicating a declaration or avowal of the claim.

putatively so

Uses "putatively" instead of "purportedly", implying a generally accepted or assumed truth.

on the face of it, so

This alternative emphasizes that something appears to be a certain way, but may not actually be so.

it is claimed to be so

Rephrases the entire expression to focus on the act of claiming without confirming the truth.

it is alleged to be so

Similar to the previous one, but using the term "alleged", implying that it's unproven.

by all accounts, so

This version suggests that multiple sources agree on a particular version of events, but it does not necessarily guarantee its truth.

FAQs

How can I use "purportedly so" in a sentence?

Use "purportedly so" to express that something is claimed to be true, but you are not sure if it really is. For example: "The project was completed on time, "purportedly so", but further review is needed."

What's the difference between "purportedly so" and "allegedly so"?

"Purportedly so" and "allegedly so" are similar, but "allegedly so" often implies a legal context or potential wrongdoing. "Purportedly so" is a more general term for something that is claimed but not confirmed.

What are some alternatives to saying "purportedly so"?

Alternatives include "reportedly so", "ostensibly so", or "supposedly so". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "purportedly so" formal or informal?

"Purportedly so" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it is more commonly found in news and media reporting than in casual conversation.