appear
appear
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling:
/əˈpɪər/ (General American) or /əˈpɪə/ (Received Pronunciation)
a - /ə/ (schwa, unstressed, as in "about")
ppear - /ˈpɪər/ (as in "pier" or "fear" with 'p' - General American, primary stress) or /ˈpɪə/ (as in "pier" or "fear" without 'r' - Received Pronunciation, primary stress)
Word Form Variations
Appear" primarily functions as a verb.
Verb:
Base form: appear
Third person singular present: appears
Present participle: appearing
Past tense: appeared
Past participle: appeared
Related forms (but not direct variations of "appear" itself):
Noun: appearance
Adjective: apparent
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To come into sight; to become visible.
Example: "A strange creature appeared from the shadows."
Synonyms: emerge, materialize, surface, show up, come into view
Antonyms: disappear, vanish, fade, recede, withdraw
To seem or look a particular way; to give the impression of being. (Often used with a linking verb function)
Example: "He appears calm, but he's actually very nervous."
Synonyms: seem, look, seem to be, strike one as
Antonyms: be (in contrast to seeming), prove to be (if different from appearance)
To be published or presented publicly; to be made available or evident.
Example: "The article appeared in yesterday's newspaper."
Synonyms: be published, be presented, be shown, be manifest, emerge
Antonyms: be concealed, be hidden, be suppressed
To come before a court or other official body; to present oneself formally.
Example: "The defendant failed to appear in court."
Synonyms: attend, present oneself, show up, turn up
Antonyms: be absent, fail to attend, default
Examples of Use
Books:
"It appeared to be a normal day, but beneath the surface, a great change was brewing." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, 1937, adapted for brevity)
Newspapers:
"The suspect is scheduled to appear in court next week to face charges related to the fraud investigation." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"New security vulnerabilities appear to be emerging rapidly, requiring constant vigilance from cybersecurity experts." (TechCrunch)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"I have to appear in a school play next month, and I'm so nervous!" (Dialogue from a popular TV sitcom, Modern Family, televised 2009-2020)
"The magician made the rabbit appear out of thin air, to the delight of the audience." (Description from a live magic show broadcast on YouTube, May 2025)
"A mysterious figure appeared from the shadows, warning the hero of impending danger." (Narrator in a video game trailer, April 2025)
General Public Discourse:
"It might appear difficult at first, but you'll get the hang of it."
"Did she appear surprised when you told her the news?"
"A new species of bird has appeared in the local park."
"He will appear on TV next month to promote his new book."
10 Quotes Using Appear
"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak." (Sun Tzu, The Art of War)
"I appear to myself as a stranger and an alien." (Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, 1942)
"Things are not what they appear to be." (Common proverb, widely attributed)
"Truth does not appear or disappear based on popular opinion." (George W. Bush, paraphrasing a common sentiment in his speeches)
"It always seems impossible until it's done, then solutions appear." (A widely used motivational extension of Nelson Mandela's famous quote)
"When you start to love yourself, things begin to appear." (Charlie Chaplin, often attributed in self-help contexts)
"For when we are weakest, then we are strongest, and then the path will appear." (2 Corinthians 12:10, paraphrased for brevity and emphasis on "appear")
"Just when you think you're safe, a new threat will appear." (Common phrase in suspense or action narratives)
"Sometimes, the right opportunity will appear when you least expect it." (A common motivational saying)
"The more clearly you understand yourself, the more clearly your purpose will appear." (Common inspirational thought, often unattributed)
Etymology
The word "appear" is about something becoming visible or seeming a certain way. Its history stems from an ancient Latin word meaning "to come into sight."
It comes from the Latin verb "apparere," which meant "to appear," "to become visible," or "to show itself." This Latin verb is formed from two parts:
"ad-": a Latin prefix meaning "to" or "at."
"parere": a Latin verb meaning "to appear" or "to come into view."
So, "apparere" literally meant "to come to sight" or "to show oneself to."
The word "appear" entered the English language from Old French ("aparoir" or "apparaître") in the late 13th or early 14th century (around the 1200s to 1300s).
The first known use and meaning of "appear" in English was very much in line with its Latin and French origins: to come into sight or become visible. Soon after, it also developed the meaning of "to seem" or "to give the impression of being," reflecting how something presents itself to perception.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Appear
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "appear":
Appear out of nowhere (to emerge suddenly and unexpectedly)
Appear to be (to seem or seem like)
Appear on the scene (to arrive or come into existence)
Appear in print (to be published in a written format)
Make an appearance (to attend an event, often briefly or formally)
Appear on the horizon (to be about to happen or emerge, often of something significant)
Appear from thin air (to materialize mysteriously, using a synonym for similar effect)
To emerge into view (using a synonym for similar effect)
Appear in court (to present oneself formally before a legal body)
Appear at the forefront (to become prominent or lead in a particular area)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of appear from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
