seem
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
How often you will meet it
Rank 520 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 38,044 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.018% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
verb
- give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect also: look, appear She seems to be sleepingThis appears to be a very difficult problem
- seem to be true, probable, or apparent also: appear It seems that he is very giftedIt appears that the weather in California is very bad
- appear to exist There seems no reason to go ahead with the project now
- appear to one's own mind or opinion I seem to be misunderstood by everyoneI can't seem to learn these Chinese characters
seem in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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I seem to hear again the whir of wings, Awake, awake!
The White Christmas and other Merry · Walter Ben Hare · Chapter 1
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There was something about him which made other men seem like pygmies.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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You were so young when she died that you seem more her child.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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Thar don't seem to be much the feller didn't tell Jason an' nothin' that Jason don't seem to remember.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1