What does "appearance" mean?
The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.
Appearance
/əˈpɪə.ɹəns/ noun
noun ·Very common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.
- Grammar: appearance is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: debut, accomplishment, achievement, acting.
- Useful contrasts: concrete reality, absence, beingness.
- Usage evidence: No one noticed the bear's appearance.
How to use "appearance"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "appearance" 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 "appearance" 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 "appearance" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "appearance" 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 "appearance" is acting as noun 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 "debut" 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 "appearance", 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
Noun
- 1 The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye. countable, uncountable
"His sudden appearance surprised me."
- 2 the act of appearing in public view wordnet
- 3 A thing seen; a phenomenon; an apparition. countable, uncountable
"There was a strange appearance in the sky."
- 4 pretending that something is the case in order to make a good impression wordnet
- 5 The way something looks; personal presence countable, uncountable
"And now am come to ſee of whom ſuch noiſe Hath walk'd about, and each limb to ſurvey, If thy appearance anſwer loud report."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action wordnet
- 7 Apparent likeness; the way which something or someone appears to others. countable, uncountable
"Some people say I'm shallow because I care so much about my appearance."
- 8 outward or visible aspect of a person or thing wordnet
- 9 That which is not substance, essence, hypostasis; the outward reality as opposed to the underlying reality countable, uncountable
"Catholicism teaches that the Eucharist, while remaining under the physical appearance of bread and wine, becomes really and truly the body and the blood of Christ."
- 10 a mental representation wordnet
- 11 The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character. countable, uncountable
"A person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator."
- 12 the event of coming into sight wordnet
- 13 An instance of someone coming into a court of law to be part of a trial, lawsuit or other proceeding, either in person or represented by an attorney or such like; a court appearance countable, uncountable
- 14 Chiefly used by nurses: the act of defecation by a patient. countable, uncountable
"The patient had a small bowel obstruction and there was no appearance until after the obstruction resolved."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"No one noticed the bear's appearance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "appearance"?
Common synonyms include: debut, accomplishment, achievement, acting, adjective of behavior, advent.
How do you use "appearance" in a sentence?
No one noticed the bear's appearance.
How do you pronounce "appearance"?
Pronounced /əˈpɪə.ɹəns/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French apparence, from Latin apparentia, from appareo. Morphologically appear + -ance. Doublet of apparence and apparency. Displaced native Old English hīew (“the way something looks or seems”) and ætīewednes (“act of appearing or coming into view”).