SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
semblance
noun
An outward appearance or limited likeness that may not reflect the full reality.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Outward or partial appearance
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSemblance may be only a partial likeness without intentional deception. Facade and guise more readily imply that an appearance conceals something.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See semblance in use
The neatly stacked papers created a semblance of order.
The need for another revision became manifest when two drawings assigned the same corner to different displays. Keeping those conflicts off the agenda might preserve a semblance of harmony, but it would leave the team without a layout they had actually reviewed together.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license