Definition of 'seem'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present
tense seems
, present participle seeming
, past tense, past participle seemed
1. link verb [no cont]
You use seem to say that someone or something gives the impression of having a particular quality, or
of happening in the way you describe.
It seems that the attack this morning was very carefully planned to cause few casualties. [VERB that]
2. link verb [no cont]
3.
See cannot seem
4. See also seeming
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
English Easy Learning GrammarTypes of main verbVerbs of action
Most verbs describe an action such as walking, running, or reading.
John is running for the train.
Sophie has just bought a new camera.
She ... Read more
Most verbs describe an action such as walking, running, or reading.
John is running for the train.
Sophie has just bought a new camera.
She ... Read more
Video: pronunciation of
seem
seem in British English
verb (may take an infinitive)
▶ USAGE See note at like13.
I can't seem to get through to you
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
seemer (ˈseemer) noun
Word origin
C12: perhaps from Old Norse soma to beseem, from sœmr befitting; related to Old English sēman to reconcile; see sameseem in American English
verb intransitive
1.
a.
to appear to be; have the look of being
to seem happy
b.
to appear; give the impression
usually followed by an infinitive he seems to know the facts
2.
to appear to exist
there seems no point in going
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME semen, prob. < ON sœma, to conform to (akin to OE seman, to bring to agreement) < IE base *sem- > sameseem in American English
(sim)
intransitive verb
2.
It seems to me that someone is calling
3.
to appear to exist
There seems no need to go now
5.
He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1150–1200; ME seme ‹ ON sœma to befit, beseem, deriv. of sœmr fitting, seemly; akin to sōmi honor]Examples of 'seem' in a sentence
seem
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seem
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In other languages
seem
British English: seem
/siːm/ VERB
You use seem to say that someone or something gives the impression of having a particular quality, or that something gives the impression of happening in the way you describe.
Everyone seems busy.
- American English: seem /ˈsim/
- Arabic: يَبْدو
- Brazilian Portuguese: parecer
- Chinese: 似乎
- Croatian: činiti se
- Czech: zdát se jevit se
- Danish: synes
- Dutch: schijnen lijken
- European Spanish: parecer
- Finnish: vaikuttaa joltakin
- French: sembler
- German: scheinen Situation
- Greek: φαίνομαι
- Italian: sembrare
- Japanese: ように思われる
- Korean: 보이다
- Norwegian: synes
- Polish: wydać się
- European Portuguese: parecer
- Romanian: a părea
- Russian: казаться
- Latin American Spanish: parecer
- Swedish: verka
- Thai: ดูเหมือน
- Turkish: görünmek
- Ukrainian: здаватися
- Vietnamese: dường như
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seem
Source
Definition of seem from the Collins English Dictionary
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