What does "appear" mean?
To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.
Appear
/əˈpɪə/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.
- Grammar: appear is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: look, materialize, seem, act.
- Useful contrasts: a lie, almost dissolved, creep behind.
- Usage evidence: There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.
How to use "appear"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "appear" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "appear" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "appear" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "appear" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "appear" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "look" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "appear", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible. intransitive
"And God[…]said, Let[…]the dry land appear."
- 2 come into sight or view wordnet
- 3 To come before the public. intransitive
"A great writer appeared at that time."
- 4 come into being or existence, or appear on the scene wordnet
- 5 To stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, etc.; to present oneself as a party or advocate before a court, or as a person to be tried. intransitive
"We must all appear before the judgment seat."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 be issued or published wordnet
- 7 To become visible to the apprehension of the mind; to be known as a subject of observation or comprehension, or as a thing proved; to be obvious or manifest. intransitive
"It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
- 8 appear as a character on stage or appear in a play, etc. wordnet
- 9 To seem; to have a certain semblance; to look. copulative, intransitive
"He appeared quite happy with the result."
- 10 give a certain impression of being something or having a certain aspect wordnet
- 11 To bring into view transitive
"[Angelo] is yet a devil / His filth within being cast, he would appear / A pond as deep as hell."
- 12 (of a proposition) seem to be true, probable, or apparent wordnet
- 13 present oneself formally, as before a (judicial) authority wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
a liealmost dissolvedcreep behinddefault configuration
Example
"There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "appear"?
Common synonyms include: look, materialize, seem, act, act as foil, add up.
How do you use "appear" in a sentence?
There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.
How do you pronounce "appear"?
Pronounced /əˈpɪə/.
Etymology
From Middle English apperen, aperen, borrowed from Old French aparoir (French apparoir), from Latin appāreō (“I appear”), from ad (“to”) + pāreō (“I come forth, I become visible”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-s- (“watch, see”), s-present of *peh₂- (“protect”).