appear

/əˈpɪr/
verbBeginner
general

to come into view or become visible

She appeared at the door unexpectedly.

She came into view at the door without warning.

💡

Can be used both literally and figuratively.

general

to seem or give the impression of being something

He appeared confident during the interview.

He gave the impression of being confident during the interview.

💡

Often used with adjectives to describe perceived qualities.

Collocations

appear toseem toappear asbe seen asappear inbe featured in

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

appear beforephrase
to present oneself in a formal setting
appear in courtphrase
to attend a legal proceeding

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'appear' when something comes into view or when describing how someone seems to others.

Gold Rule

Preposition Choice

Use 'appear to' for impressions and 'appear as' for roles or forms.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English *aperen*, from Old French *apere*, from Latin *apparēre* (to appear, come into view).

📝Usage Notes

Can be used both literally (becoming visible) and figuratively (giving the impression of something). Often followed by 'to' or 'as'.

Word Breakdown

ap-
to
prefix
+
-pear
to come into view
root
English Dictionary