under the appearance of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "under the appearance of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is presented in a certain way that may not reflect the true nature or reality of it. Example: "He acted under the appearance of being a trustworthy friend, but his intentions were far from genuine."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Rick Hertzberg warned yesterday against a too-hasty decision made by Obama under the appearance of pressure.

The New Yorker

This court should not, under the appearance of enforcing the election laws, defeat the very object which those law are intended to achieve.

The New York Times

Under this circumstance, previously developed approaches for deterministic systems are rarely employed for the stability analysis under the appearance of nonlinear perturbations.

Advances in Difference Equations

The exploit, allegedly carried out by hackers in Southeast Asia, operating under the appearance of legitimacy with transfer requests nearing a staggering $1 billion.

Huffington Post

Operating with limited resources (or under the appearance of limited resources), they are frequently on the lookout for people who are willing to pay to work.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Some, according to the pollster, were having doubts as to whether or not Jesus Christ, son of God, son of Mary, is really and truly present under the appearances of bread and wine on our altars and in our tabernacles.

The New York Times

The soft-mud process produces either a sand- or water-struck finish in a nonuniform texture, which gives the brick (only bricks are made under this process) the appearance of handmade or antique brick.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under the law, the appearance of corruption is as relevant to regulating money in the political process as actual corruption.

Huffington Post

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, long under fire for the appearance of partiality toward Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primaries, will step down as the party's national chairwoman at the end of its convention this week, she announced Sunday.

Los Angeles Times

Certainly, noise induced a greater frequency of startle responses among foraging fish: under control conditions, the appearance of the experimenter's hand when delivering Daphnia rarely induced a startle response, but during noise exposure and after the noise had ceased there was an increased sensitivity to such external stimuli.

Plosone

Under this assumption, the appearance of unphosphosphorylated Akt (Aktu) will be considered as a pro-apoptotic stimulus.

BMC Systems Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "under the appearance of" when you want to express that something seems to be one thing, but might actually be something else. Be mindful of the potential for ambiguity; ensure the context clarifies the true nature being masked.

Common error

Avoid using "under the appearance of" when a simpler word like "seemingly" or "apparently" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily convoluted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "under the appearance of" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating the circumstances or condition in which an action occurs or a state exists. As Ludwig AI underlines, this phrase is used to express circumstances, conditions or manner.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "under the appearance of" is a prepositional phrase used to express a potentially misleading or deceptive presentation. While grammatically sound, as Ludwig AI confirms, it's relatively formal and benefits from judicious use, as simpler alternatives may sometimes be more suitable. It appears most frequently in news media and scientific contexts, suggesting a blend of neutral reporting and formal analysis. When writing, be sure you are not overusing it. Finally, remember you can always rely on Ludwig to provide context and alternatives to help you express yourself.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

under a facade of

Emphasizes the deceptive nature of the outward presentation.

under the guise of

Suggests a concealed identity or motive behind an action.

with the pretense of

Highlights the insincere or contrived nature of the presentation.

seemingly

Indicates an outward appearance that may differ from the underlying reality.

apparently

Highlights the impression conveyed by available evidence, which may be misleading.

ostensibly

Implies a surface-level appearance that may conceal a different reality.

ostensible

Focuses on the stated or apparent reason, which might not be the actual one.

purportedly

Suggests a claim or assertion that may not be entirely truthful or accurate.

in the semblance of

Emphasizes a superficial similarity that does not reflect the true nature.

on the face of it

Indicates an initial impression that may not be accurate upon closer inspection.

FAQs

How can I use "under the appearance of" in a sentence?

This phrase is used to describe situations where something presents itself in a way that might be misleading or deceptive. For example: "He acted "under the appearance of" being helpful, but his real goal was to steal information."

What are some alternatives to "under the appearance of"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "ostensibly", "under the guise of", or "seemingly".

Is it better to use "under the guise of" or "under the appearance of"?

Both phrases are similar, but "under the guise of" often implies a more deliberate attempt at deception, while "under the appearance of" can simply suggest a misleading impression. Choose the phrase that best fits the intended nuance.

How formal is the phrase "under the appearance of"?

This phrase is relatively formal and is more likely to be found in written text or formal speech. In informal contexts, simpler alternatives might be more appropriate.