seem

verb

seemed; seeming; seems

intransitive verb

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

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 Most people seem to be living in trailers or RVs, all boasting eccentric artwork. Jonah Gercke, SPIN, 15 Mar. 2024 That takeout habit is part of a larger trend: Since the pandemic began, people just don’t seem to want to interact with each other much anymore. Dennis Lee / The Takeout, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos have seem to hit a stride. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 As edited, these interruptions can be jarring and inelegant, but that seems true to the experience of trauma. Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Laminated tables seem plucked out of a Mission District taquería. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Francis has at times seemed to open the door to retirement, only to later shut it. Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Still, the absence of snakes does seem somewhat miraculous, given the global pet trade and the serpents’ potential to become invasive. Sarah Fecht, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 In isolation, these raw vote tallies seem perfectly ordinary—neither is a particularly round number. Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near seem

seely

seem

seemer

Cite this Entry

“Seem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seem. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

seem

verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on seem

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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