Seem Meaning
Seem Definition & Usage
To give the impression or appearance of being something or having a particular quality.
Examples
- "He seems happy today, even though I know he's been under a lot of stress."
- "It seems like they’ve been working very hard on this project."
- "The problem seems simple at first, but it’s actually quite complex."
- "She seems to have forgotten about the meeting, but I’m sure she’ll remember soon."
- "They seem like a nice couple, but I don’t know them very well."
To appear to be or appear in a particular state from the speaker’s perspective, usually based on emotional or cognitive judgment.
Examples
- "She seemed sad when I last spoke with her."
- "It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I regret it."
- "The situation seemed impossible to resolve, but we managed to find a solution."
- "It seems strange that they haven’t responded to the invitation yet."
- "It seemed like everyone was having a good time at the party."
To give the impression of becoming something, usually after a period of time or change.
Examples
- "She seems to be improving her skills every day."
- "The situation seems to have changed dramatically since our last meeting."
- "He seems to have grown more confident in his abilities."
- "The weather seems to be getting colder as the evening approaches."
- "It seems like they’re getting closer as friends."
Cultural Context
The word 'seem' originates from Old English 'seman,' which meant 'to appear.' Over time, it has evolved to describe both objective perceptions and subjective experiences. In modern English, it is used widely in everyday conversation, from casual speech to formal writing.
A Day at the Café
Story
A Day at the Café
Lena walked into the café and took a deep breath, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. As she scanned the room, she noticed her friend Rachel sitting at their usual table, a mug of tea in front of her. Rachel seemed to be deep in thought, staring out the window, her face a mix of concentration and frustration. Lena approached, and Rachel looked up with a small smile. 'You seem distracted,' Lena remarked as she slid into the chair across from her. Rachel sighed and set her cup down. 'I guess I am. It seems like there's just too much going on in my head right now.' Lena nodded sympathetically. 'It seems like you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Is everything okay at work?' Rachel hesitated. 'It seems like no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to get ahead.' She took a sip of her tea and frowned. 'It’s like I’m always running in circles.' Lena placed a hand on her friend's arm. 'I can’t pretend to know exactly what you’re going through, but it seems like you’re getting closer to figuring it out. You’ve been tackling tough projects at work, and you’re still going.' Rachel gave a soft laugh. 'I guess you’re right. It just seemed so overwhelming at the time.' As they continued their conversation, Lena noticed that despite Rachel’s frustrations, she seemed to be slowly finding her way through the challenges. By the time they left the café, Rachel’s mood had lightened. 'Maybe I just needed someone to remind me that it’s not all as bad as it seems.' As they stepped outside, the sun was setting, and the evening air seemed cooler. Rachel turned to Lena and smiled. 'Thanks for the pep talk. It seems like things might not be as difficult as they seemed earlier.'
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