Meanings
verbappear (third-person singular simple present appears, present participle appearing, simple past and past participle appeared)
present singular third person appears · participle present appearing · participle past appeared · past appeared · first person past singular appeared · archaic present second person singular appearest · past second person singular appeared · archaic past second person singular appearedst · present singular third person appears · archaic present singular third person appeareth · past singular third person appeared · past plural appeared · past subjunctive appeared · participle present appearing · participle past appeared · alternative obsolete appeare
- intransitiveTo come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.
And God[…]said, Let[…]the dry land appear.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 1:91 more example
There were also particles no one had predicted that just appeared. Five of them […, i]n order of increasing modernity, […] are the neutrino, the pi meson, the antiproton, the quark and the Higgs boson.
2012 March-April, Jeremy Bernstein, “A Palette of Particles”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 146Synonyms: emerge
- intransitiveTo come before the public.
A great writer appeared at that time.
1 more example
Miss Phyllis Morgan, as the hapless heroine dressed in the shabbiest of clothes, appears in the midst of a gay and giddy throng; she apostrophises all and sundry there, including the villain, and has a magnificent scene which always brings down the house, and nightly adds to her histrionic laurels.
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Affair at the Novelty Theatre”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020 - intransitiveTo stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, etc.; to present oneself as a party or advocate before a court, or as a person to be tried.
We must all appear before the judgment seat.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 5:101 more example
One ruffian escaped because no prosecutor dared to appear.
1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC - intransitiveTo become visible to the apprehension of the mind; to be known as a subject of observation or comprehension, or as a thing proved; to be obvious or manifest.
Of their vain contest appeared no end.
1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC3 more examples
It doth not yet appear what we shall be.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 John 3:2‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police[…]? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLCSurprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene,[…].
2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist - copulativeintransitiveTo seem; to have a certain semblance; to look.
He appeared quite happy with the result.
2 more examples
They disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 6:16Mr. Campion appeared suitably impressed and she warmed to him. He was very easy to talk to with those long clown lines in his pale face, a natural goon, born rather too early she suspected.
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLCSynonyms: look
- transitiveTo bring into view
[Angelo] is yet a devil / His filth within being cast, he would appear / A pond as deep as hell.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.
Similar
verbTo seem; to have a certain semblance; to look.
Similar
Broader
More synonyms by meaning
verbgive a certain impression of being something or having a certain aspect
verbcome into being or existence, or appear on the scene
Similar
Opposite
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*peh₂-s-“watch, see”
- Latinappāreō“to appear”
- Old Frenchaparoir
- Middle Englishapperen
- Englishappear
From Middle English apperen, aperen, borrowed from Old French aparoir (French apparoir), from Latin appāreō (“to appear”), from ad (“to”) + pāreō (“to come forth, to become visible”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-s- (“watch, see”), s-present of *peh₂- (“protect”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἐπιφαίνομαι, φαίνομαι
- ἐπιφαίνομαι (epiphaínomai)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- φαίνομαι (phaínomai)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- εἴδομαι (eídomai)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ἐπιφαίνομαι (epiphaínomai)to become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- φαίνομαι (phaínomai)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- εἴδομαι (eídomai)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- δοκέω (dokéō)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Arabic ظَهَرَ, ظَهَرَ
- ظَهَرَ (ẓahara)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ظَهَرَ (ẓahara)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- بَدَا (badā)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Basque azaldu, agertu
- azalduto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- agertuto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Bulgarian появя́вам се, появя́ се
- появя́вам се (pojavjávam se)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- появя́ се (pojavjá se)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- пока́звам се (pokázvam se)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- пока́жа се (pokáža se)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- явя́вам се (javjávam se)to come before the public
- явя́ се (javjá se)to come before the public
- явя́вам се (javjávam se)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- явя́ се (javjá se)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
Catalan aparèixer, sortir
- aparèixerto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- sortirto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- semblarto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Chinese Cantonese 出現 /出现
- 出現 /出现 (ceot¹ jin⁶)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Chinese Mandarin 出現 /出现, 露面
- 出現 /出现 (chūxiàn)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- 露面 (lòumiàn)to come before the public
- 出庭 (chūtíng)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- 好像 (hǎoxiàng)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- 顯得 /显得 (xiǎnde)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Czech objevovat se, objevit se
- objevovat seto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- objevit seto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- objevovat seto come before the public
- objevit seto come before the public
- objevit seto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- vypadatto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Danish forekomme, synes
- forekommeto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- synesto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- opståto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Dutch verschijnen, verschijnen
- verschijnento come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- verschijnento come before the public
- zijn opwachting makento come before the public
- haar opwachting makento come before the public
- optredento come before the public
- verschijnento stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- blijkento become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- lijkento seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Esperanto aperi, aspekti
- aperito come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- aspektito seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Estonian ilmuma
- ilmumato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Finnish ilmestyä, tulla näkyviin
- ilmestyäto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- tulla näkyviinto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ilmestyäto come before the public
- ilmestyäto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- näyttäytyäto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- ilmestyäto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- näyttääto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- näyttääto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- vaikuttaato seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
French apparaître, paraître
- apparaîtreto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- paraîtreto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- apparaîtreto come before the public
- semblerto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- paraîtreto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
German erscheinen, auftauchen
- erscheinento come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- auftauchento come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- erscheinento come before the public
- auftauchento come before the public
- erscheinento stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- auftretento stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- erscheinento become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- einleuchtento become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- erscheinento seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- aussehento seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Greek εμφανίζομαι, φαίνομαι
- εμφανίζομαι (emfanízomai)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- φαίνομαι (faínomai)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Hebrew הופיע, הופיע
- הופיע (hofía)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- הופיע (hofía)to come before the public
- נראה (nir'á)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Hindi दिखना
- दिखना (dikhnā)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Hungarian feltűnik, megjelenik
- feltűnikto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- megjelenikto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- látszikto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- tűnikto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Icelandic birta, birtast
- birtato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- birtastto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Irish taibhsigh
- taibhsighto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Italian apparire
- apparireto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Japanese 現れる, ...らしい
- 現れる (arawareru)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ...らしい (...rashii)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- ...そう (...-sō)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- ...ように見える (...yō ni mieru)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- 思われる (omowareru)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Korean 나타나다
- 나타나다 (natanada)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Latin videor, appareo
- videorto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- appareoto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- compareoto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- pareoto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- cooriorto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- oriorto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- provenioto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- prodeoto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- exsistoto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- cooriorto come before the public
- oriorto come before the public
- prōveniōto come before the public
Latvian parādīties
- parādītiesto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Māori whakaaranga, puta
- whakaarangato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- putato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- tahakurato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- kautorohīto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- whetūrangito come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- poketo come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- whakaarangato become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- tahakuato become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- poketo become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- ngiato seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Norwegian Bokmål oppstå, dukke opp
- oppståto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- dukke oppto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Persian پدیدار شدن, ظاهر شدن
- پدیدار شدن (padidâr šodan)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ظاهر شدن (zâher šodan)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- نمایادنto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- آشکارادنto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
Polish zjawiać się, zjawić się
- zjawiać sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- zjawić sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- pojawiać sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- pojawić sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ukazywać sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ukazać sięto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- stawić sięto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- stanąćto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- zdawać sięto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Portuguese aparecer, surgir
- aparecerto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- surgirto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- aparecerto come before the public
- surgirto come before the public
- comparecerto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- parecerto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- parecerto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- aparentarto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- semelharto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Romanian apărea, părea
- apăreato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- păreato seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
- da impresiato seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Russian появля́ться, появи́ться
- появля́ться (pojavljátʹsja)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- появи́ться (pojavítʹsja)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- явля́ться (javljátʹsja)to come before the public
- яви́ться (javítʹsja)to come before the public
- представа́ть (predstavátʹ)to come before the public
- предста́ть (predstátʹ)to come before the public
- явля́ться (javljátʹsja)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- яви́ться (javítʹsja)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- представа́ть (predstavátʹ)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- предста́ть (predstátʹ)to stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- ви́деться (vídetʹsja)to become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- приви́деться (privídetʹsja)to become visible to the apprehension of the mind
Scottish Gaelic nochd, nochd
- nochdto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- nochdto come before the public
- coimheadto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Slovak objaviť sa, ukázať sa
- objaviť sato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ukázať sato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- objaviť sato come before the public
- postaviť sato stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- stáťto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- prísťto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- zdať sato become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- vyzeraťto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- vyzeraťto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Spanish aparecer, figurar
- aparecerto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- figurarto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- aparirto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- aparecerto come before the public
- comparecerto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- apersonarseto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- personarseto stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like
- aparecerto become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- parecerto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Swedish framträda, komma i ljuset
- framträdato come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- komma i ljusetto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- komma i dagento come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- dyka uppto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- framträdato come before the public
- se utto seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Thai ปรากฏ
- ปรากฏ (bpraa-gòt)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Turkish belirmek
- belirmekto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Ukrainian з'явля́тися, з'яви́тися
- з'явля́тися (zʺjavljátysja)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- з'яви́тися (zʺjavýtysja)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- виникати (vynykaty)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- виникнути (vynyknuty)to come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
- ввижатися (vvyžatysja)to become visible to the apprehension of the mind
- видаватися (vydavatysja)to become visible to the apprehension of the mind
Urdu دکھایا
- دکھایا (dikhānā)to seem; to have a certain semblance; to look
Vietnamese xuất hiện
- xuất hiệnto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Welsh ymddangos
- ymddangosto come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with appear
hereyearclearnearcareerheargearwearfearvolunteermirrorpremierdearbeerseverepeerearpioneerPierredeermeretiersheerfrontier
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
appear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appear
MLA
“appear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appear. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “appear,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appear.
Source: appear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.