Ostensibly

Ostensibly, from the Latin 'ostendere', means seemingly or apparently, but not necessarily actually. It suggests a presentation that appears true or genuine on the surface, often concealing a different underlying reality, motive, or intention. The term implies a degree of doubt or skepticism about the true nature of something. When something is done ostensibly, it presents a certain appearance or pretense, which may or may not be the actual reason or driving force behind the action.

Ostensibly meaning with examples

• The company, ostensibly dedicated to environmental protection, was later found to be polluting a local river. Its marketing materials portrayed a commitment to sustainability, yet their practices contradicted this. The public relations campaign created the appearance of good corporate citizenship, but this was only the surface, hiding the detrimental reality underneath their profit driven choices.
• She offered her assistance ostensibly out of kindness, but her ulterior motive was to gather information about her rival. Her actions created the impression of altruism, but her true intent was driven by self-interest. The gesture of support seemed helpful, however there was a hidden desire to understand and undermine her opponent.
• The government deployed troops ostensibly to maintain peace, however critics argued that the real aim was to suppress dissent. The official justification presented it as a measure for stability, but the public were unsure that they were being told the truth. There was a general suspicion that this was just the outward reasoning.
• He was attending the conference ostensibly to network, but he actually went there to promote his new product and secure venture capital. The apparent goal was socializing, but his underlying focus was on business development. He pretended to build connections, however his hidden intention was to market his project.