seem

verb (used without object)

1. to appear to be, feel, do, etc.: She seems better this morning.
2. to appear to one’s own senses, mind, observation, judgment, etc.: It seems to me that someone is calling.
3. to appear to exist: There seems no need to go now.
4. to appear to be true, probable, or evident: It seems likely to rain.
5. to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be: He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him.

verb (may take an infinitive)

1. (copula) to appear to the mind or eye; lookthis seems nice; the car seems to be running well
2. to give the impression of existing; appear to bethere seems no need for all this nonsense
3. used to diminish the force of a following infinitive to be polite, more noncommittal, etcI can’t seem to get through to you

v.c.1200, “to appear to be;” c.1300, “to be fitting, be appropriate, be suitable,” though the more recent sense in English is the etymological one; from Old Norse soema “to honor; to put up with; to conform to (the world, etc.),” verb derived from adjective soemr “fitting,” from Proto-Germanic *somi- (cf. Old English som “agreement, reconciliation,” seman “to conciliate,” source of Middle English semen “to settle a dispute,” literally “to make one;” Old Danish some “to be proper or seemly”), from PIE *som-i-, from root *sem- “one, as one” (see same). Related: Seemed; seeming.