Master confusing words with ease
Ostensibly vs. Ostentatiously
Ostensibly
/ɒˈstensəbli/Examples:
He was ostensibly at work, but his car stayed parked.Ostensibly, they were a happy couple, but rumors spread.The meeting was ostensibly about budget cuts, yet plans changed.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ostentatiously
Examples:
She ostentatiously arranged her trophies on the shelf.He ostentatiously adjusted his designer glasses before speaking.The gala was an ostentatiously extravagant affair.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Ostensibly can be linked to seemingly true; it often involves something that appears a certain way but may not be the case.
- Ostentatiously can be remembered as extravagantly showy; it involves displaying wealth or luxury in a way that is meant to attract attention or admiration.
- Both words share the base osten-, but ostensibly is more subtle than ostentatiously, which is more about being over the top.
- Think of ostensibly as a way to cover up the reality with appearances, while ostentatiously is all about displaying things out in the open very clearly.
- The suffix -ly in both words indicates they are adverbs, modifying actions or adjectives.
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