outwardly
/ˈaʊtwədli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈaʊtwərdli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈau̇t-wərd-lē/ (ame, mw)
outwardly — adverb
1. judging only from what can be seen or from the impression given, rather than fro
judging only from what can be seen or from the impression given, rather than from the true feelings or facts underneath.
Nora looked outwardly calm during the interview, but her hands shook under the table.
outwardly + adjective to contrast appearance with inner feeling
Tomas's cafe seemed outwardly successful, yet half its tables stayed empty.
outwardly + successful for appearance vs reality
Kofi spoke outwardly politely, though he had already decided to refuse.
The agreement looked outwardly fair, but smaller firms bore most costs.
Linh remained outwardly cheerful after hearing the hospital test results.
- apparently
close when you mean how something seems, but it does not always suggest a hidden inner contrast as strongly
- visibly
focuses on what people can literally see, not necessarily on a difference between image and reality
- superficially
stronger and often negative, suggesting only a shallow surface view
文法句型
outwardly + adjective
outwardly + calm / cheerful / polite / confident
outwardly + seem / look + adjective
用法筆記
Common with adjectives that describe feelings, behavior, or judgments, such as calm, cheerful, polite, fair, and confident. It often appears in sentences with but, though, or while to show a gap between visible appearance and the hidden truth.