seem

verb

ˈsēm How to pronounce seem (audio)
seemed; seeming; seems
Synonyms of seemnext

intransitive verb

1
: to appear to the observation or understanding
2
: to give the impression of being

Synonyms of seem

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Examples of seem in a Sentence

What they're doing doesn't seem right to me. I tried to cheer them up because they seemed depressed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jason Speaking of football-loving families, the Kelces seem to have usurped the Mannings for the sport’s first family. — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026 For Katwala, the most impressive elements from the Games were the robots playing tennis, seeming to react to the movement of the ball and, in a match featuring robots playing alongside humans in doubles, of their partner, too. — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026 The CameraJet came out on top on every metric—but the comparison seems a bit like putting a mortar and pestle up against a VitaMix. — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026 Everyone seems to be taking a magnesium supplement these days — or spraying it on their feet. — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seem

Word History

Etymology

Middle English semen to appear to be, be fitting, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse sœma to honor, sœmr fitting, samr same — more at same

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seem was in the 13th century

Rhymes for seem

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Browse Nearby Words

seely
seem
seemer
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Cite this Entry

“Seem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seem. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

seem

verb
ˈsēm How to pronounce seem (audio)
1
: to give the impression of being : appear
the request seems reasonable
2
a
: to appear to a person's own mind or opinion
can't seem to solve the problem
b
: to appear to be
there seems no reason for worry
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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