Appearing as such but not necessarily so:
— The ostensible truth of their theories.

synonyms: apparent, seeming.

Roget 448: apparent, seeming, ostensible; on view.   

Roget 472: probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way.    plausible, specious, ostensible, colorable, ben trovato [It], well-founded, reasonable, credible, easy of belief, presumable, presumptive, apparent.    ... show more

Roget 525: manifest, apparent; salient, striking, demonstrative, prominent, in the foreground, notable, pronounced.    flagrant; notorious etc. (public) 531; arrant; stark staring; unshaded, glaring.    defined, definite.    distinct, conspicuous etc. (visible) 446; obvious, evident, unmistakable, indubitable, not to be mistaken, palpable, self-evident, autoptical^†; intelligible etc. 518.    plain, clear, clear as day, clear as daylight, clear as noonday; plain as a pike staff, plain as the sun at noon-day, plain as the nose on one's face, plain as the way to parish church.    explicit, overt, patent, express; ostensible; open, open as day; naked, bare, literal, downright, undisguised, exoteric.    unreserved, frank, plain-spoken etc. (artless) 703; candid (veracious) 543; barefaced.    manifested etc. v.; disclosed etc. 529; capable of being shown, producible; inconcealable^†, unconcealable; no secret.    ... show more

Polish: pozorny, fasadowy

Represented or appearing as such; pretended:
— His ostensible purpose was charity, his real goal popularity.

synonym: ostensive.