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supposedly

/səˈpoʊzədli/
/səˈpʌʊzɪdli/
IPA guide

If you hear that something is supposedly going to happen, it may or may not occur. If a friend is supposedly having a pool party next week, wait until you know for sure before you buy that new swimsuit.

When you add supposedly to a sentence, it means you aren't sure. If a teacher says there is supposedly an early dismissal next week, it means that decision isn't final yet, but it could happen. If a singer is supposedly dating a certain actor, it isn't official — it might just be gossip. Don't confuse supposedly with similar-sounding supposed to be, which can imply a judgment.

Definitions of supposedly
  1. adverb
    believed or reputed to be the case
    synonyms: purportedly
Pronunciation
US
/səˈpoʊzədli/
UK
/səˈpʌʊzɪdli/
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