APPEAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does appear mean? 

• APPEAR (verb)
  The verb APPEAR has 7 senses:

1. give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

2. come into sight or view

3. be issued or published

4. seem to be true, probable, or apparent

5. come into being or existence, or appear on the scene

6. appear as a character on stage or appear in a play, etc.

7. present oneself formally, as before a (judicial) authority

  Familiarity information: APPEAR used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• APPEAR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they appear    ... he / she / it appears   
Past simple: appeared   
Past participle: appeared   
-ing form: appearing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

appear; look; seem

Context example:

They appeared like people who had not eaten or slept for a long time

Hypernyms (to "appear" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "appear"):

make (appear to begin an activity)

cut (give the appearance or impression of)

feel (produce a certain impression)

pass off (be accepted as something or somebody in a false character or identity)

sound (appear in a certain way)

come across (be perceived in a certain way; make a certain impression)

beam; glow; radiate; shine (have a complexion with a strong bright color, such as red or pink)

gleam; glint; glisten; glitter; shine (be shiny, as if wet)

jump; jump out; leap out; stand out; stick out (be highly noticeable)

lift; rear; rise (rise up)

loom (come into view indistinctly, often threateningly)

feel (be felt or perceived in a certain way)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s Adjective
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They appear to move

Derivation:

appearance (a mental representation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Come into sight or view

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

A new star appeared on the horizon

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "appear"):

erupt (appear on the skin)

crop up; pop; pop up (appear suddenly or unexpectedly)

show; show up (be or become visible or noticeable)

break (emerge from the surface of a body of water)

burst forth; leap out; rush out; sally out (jump out from a hiding place and surprise (someone))

come to mind; spring to mind (be remembered)

roll in (pour or flow in a steady stream)

break through; come out; erupt; push through (break out)

break through; come through (penetrate)

emerge (become known or apparent)

re-emerge; reappear (appear again)

burst out; pop out (appear suddenly)

turn out (come, usually in answer to an invitation or summons)

flash (emit a brief burst of light)

flash (appear briefly)

outcrop (appear on the surface, come to the surface on the ground)

emerge (come out into view, as from concealment)

come on; come out; show up; surface; turn up (appear or become visible; make a showing)

come to hand; come to light (be revealed or disclosed)

wash up (be carried somewhere by water or as if by water)

manifest (reveal its presence or make an appearance)

peep (appear as though from hiding)

basset; crop out (appear at the surface)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The moon will soon appear

Antonym:

disappear (get lost, as without warning or explanation)

Derivation:

apparent (clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment)

apparition (an act of appearing or becoming visible unexpectedly)

appearance (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

appearance (the event of coming into sight)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be issued or published

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

appear; come out

Context example:

The new Woody Allen film hasn't come out yet

Hypernyms (to "appear" is one way to...):

happen; materialise; materialize (come into being; become reality)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Seem to be true, probable, or apparent

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

appear; seem

Context example:

It appears that the weather in California is very bad

Hypernyms (to "appear" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "appear"):

seem (appear to one's own mind or opinion)

Sentence frame:

It ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

apparent (clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment)

apparent (appearing as such but not necessarily so)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Come into being or existence, or appear on the scene

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

appear; come along

Context example:

Homo sapiens appeared millions of years ago

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "appear"):

occur (to be found to exist)

fulminate (come on suddenly and intensely)

gleam (appear briefly)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Antonym:

disappear (cease to exist)

Derivation:

apparition (an act of appearing or becoming visible unexpectedly)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Appear as a character on stage or appear in a play, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

She appeared in 'Hamlet' on the London stage

Hypernyms (to "appear" is one way to...):

do; execute; perform (carry out or perform an action)

Domain category:

dramatic art; dramatics; dramaturgy; theater; theatre (the art of writing and producing plays)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

appearance (the act of appearing in public view)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Present oneself formally, as before a (judicial) authority

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

She appeared on several charges of theft

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

appearance (formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action)

 Context examples 

This person appears to have been none other than Beddington, the famous forger and cracksman, who, with his brother, had only recently emerged from a five years’ spell of penal servitude.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But while he belied Arthur's description, and appeared a gentle lamb rather than a wild man, he was racking his brains for a course of action.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A quarter of an hour passed, and then a second cyclist appeared.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This is a friendly new moon, so I feel that after this new moon appears, you will see an influx of income.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I reflected what a mortification it must prove to me, to appear as inconsiderable in this nation, as one single Lilliputian would be among us.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Mina appeared not to see them.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The jaw dropped, the upper lip lifted, and two rows of tobacco-discoloured teeth appeared.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

No face appeared, however; and being come to the house, and knowing how to open the door, before dark, without knocking, I went in with a quiet, timid step.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

As the fall of the year came on, the moose appeared in greater abundance, moving slowly down to meet the winter in the lower and less rigorous valleys.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

He had for years been known as a professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very quiet and innocent one.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)