appear
appear Lexical Profile
appear Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To come into sight; to become visible or noticeable, especially without apparent cause.
"Dark clouds began to appear on the western horizon just before sunset."
To give the impression of being or doing something; to seem.
"The ancient manuscript appears to be an authentic twelfth-century copy."
To arrive at a place or to attend an event, especially formally before a court of law or in a public performance.
"The lead actress will appear on stage at the National Theatre throughout the winter season."
To be published, released, or made available to the public (of a book, article, or product).
"Her groundbreaking study on marine ecosystems first appeared in a peer-reviewed journal last spring."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Appear' is strictly an intransitive or linking verb and is never used in the passive voice (never 'was appeared'). In progressive tenses ('is appearing'), it refers only to performing publicly or coming into view, never to seeming.
• Rhymes for appear
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'aparoir', which derives from Latin 'apparere' ('to come into sight'), formed from 'ad-' ('to') and 'parere' ('to come forth, be visible').