supposedly
- 1According to what some people believe or claim, without the matter being proven or certain.
The painting was supposedly found in an attic and sold for a fortune.
She supposedly turned down the offer, though her agent never confirmed it.
Similarallegedly, reportedly, reputedly, apparently, ostensibly
Oppositeactually, definitely, certainly
Note
A hedge that passes on a claim without vouching for it, built simply from supposed plus -ly. It often signals doubt, as when a witness is told they were supposedly at home. Placed before an adjective, it questions the description itself, as in David Gunston's "supposedly unstoppable locomotives" (Railway Magazine, 1958). Its close kin are allegedly, reputedly and purportedly. Probably and likely are different: they weigh the odds rather than report someone else's word.
- 2A nonstandard substitution for "supposed to be," heard in informal or colloquial speech.
Aren't you supposedly working the late shift tonight?
We're supposedly finished with the report by Friday, but the boss keeps adding pages.
Note
A Philippine habit that can turn a duty into what sounds, to other ears, like a rumor. "I am supposedly in bed by 10 P.M." states a rule the speaker's parents set, not a claim anyone doubts. It grew from a mispronunciation of the near-identical phrase, so listeners elsewhere may hear the "reportedly" meaning instead. Keep it to relaxed conversation. In writing or formal speech, "supposed to be" is the safe choice.
Practice
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Origin
Formed from "supposed" combined with the suffix "-ly."