evidently
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
used to say that something is easy to see or understand from the facts.
in a manner that makes a fact or conclusion obvious; used to indicate that something can be clearly inferred from available evidence.
Simple“He was evidently upset by the news, as he stopped talking and left the room.”
In context“The witness was evidently shaken by the cross-examination, as her voice began to tremble and she struggled to maintain her composure.”
UsageOften functions as a sentence adverb, modifying the entire clause to show the speaker's certainty based on observation.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
used to describe something that seems to be true, even if you are not 100% sure.
used to indicate that something appears to be the case based on reports or outward appearance; occasionally proscribed when used as a synonym for 'seemingly'.
Simple“Evidently, the party was a success, because there are empty plates everywhere.”
In context“Evidently, the negotiations have stalled, though neither side has issued a formal statement to the press regarding the delay.”
Teacher's tipWhile often used interchangeably with 'apparently', 'evidently' implies stronger physical evidence, whereas 'apparently' can rely on hearsay.
SynonymsAntonyms
“There was evidently no love lost with his sister Mary, who called him “one of the most self-centred people I’ve ever met”.”
From Middle English evidently, evydently; equivalent to evident + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.