Word
supposedly
Phoneticssup·pos·ed·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/səˈpoʊzədɫi/
UK/sʌpˈəʊzɪdli/
Sentence adverb
Definition
adv. used to say that something is believed to be true by some people, even if there is no proof.
adv. according to what is generally assumed or believed, though not necessarily true. Often used to distance the speaker from the validity of the claim.
Examples
“The new restaurant is supposedly the best in town.”
“The flight was supposedly arriving at noon, but the board now shows a three-hour delay.”
“The document was supposedly signed by the witness, yet forensic analysis of the ink suggests it was backdated by several months.”
Examples
simple
“The new restaurant is supposedly the best in town.”
contextual
“The flight was supposedly arriving at noon, but the board now shows a three-hour delay.”
complex
“The document was supposedly signed by the witness, yet forensic analysis of the ink suggests it was backdated by several months.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “supposedly” in context.
Verb
01. supposedly contain the virus
“The new security measures were designed to supposedly contain the virus, but they failed.”
adv + verb + noun
02. supposedly improve the economy
“The tax cuts will supposedly improve the economy, though many experts remain skeptical.”
adv + verb + noun
03. supposedly work for the government
“He supposedly works for the government, but no one knows his actual job title.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
Adjective
04. supposedly easy to use
“The software is supposedly easy to use, but I found the interface very confusing.”
adv + adj + infinitive
05. supposedly haunted house
“We spent the night in a supposedly haunted house to see if the rumors were true.”
adv + adj + noun
06. supposedly neutral observer
“The mediator was a supposedly neutral observer, but he clearly favored the management.”
adv + adj + noun
07. supposedly superior technology
“The company marketed their supposedly superior technology, yet it broke within a week.”
adv + adj + noun
Usage
Typically functions as a disjunct, modifying the entire clause to express the speaker's attitude toward the truth of the statement.
Pitfall
He is suppose to be the best player.
He is supposedly the best player.
Do not confuse the adverb 'supposedly' with the phrase 'supposed to'.
Real-World Examples
“Flowers supposedly wrote more than 30 songs for the record, meaning there were at least 20 alternatives.” “Arsenal have supposedly been offered the chance to involve the Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen in exchange for the Brazilian, which could be tempting for a side looking for a new No 9.” “It also raises the possibility that many supposedly “modern” mammalian traits evolved surprisingly early.” “Despite extensive investigation – including interviewing the butcher said porcine noggin supposedly came from – the Guardian was unable to find evidence to support these claims.” Etymology
From supposed + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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