appear to one's own mind or opinion
"I seem to be misunderstood by everyone"
"I can't seem to learn these Chinese characters"
To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.
"The quiet office seemed deserted when I walked in, even though several employees were still working inside."
In plain English: To seem means to appear or look like something to other people, even if it isn't actually true.
"The sky looks gray, so it seems like rain is coming soon."
Usage: Use seem when describing how something appears or is perceived by others, rather than stating an objective fact about reality. It often introduces uncertainty in a sentence structure like "It seems that..." followed by the actual situation.
The word seem comes from Middle English semen, which originally meant to befit or be becoming. It traveled into modern English through Old Norse sœma and ultimately derives from a Proto-Germanic root meaning to unite or fit together.