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Definition and meaning of English word "seem"

seem

/siːm/

Meaning

Verb

To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How to use

The verb 'seem' is often used to express an appearance or impression. A common mistake learners make is using 'seem' with an adjective without a linking verb; 'seem' itself acts as a linking verb. For example, 'he seems happy' is correct, but 'he seems being happy' is incorrect.

🇬🇧 English

seem

Example

It seems cold.

He seems happy.

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Synonyms

appearlookcome across

Common phrases

  • seem to be— seem to be
  • it seems that— it seems that
  • seem like— seem like

More Core Verbs words

This concept in other languages

Frequency rank: #528 in English

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the English word "seem" mean?▼

The English word "seem" means "seem" in English.

How do you pronounce the English word "seem"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "seem" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "seem"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "It seems cold." (which translates as "seem").

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