N1 Uncertainty, Hedging, and Inference

~ものと思おもわれる / ~ものと見みられる: meaning, usage and examples

~ものと思おもわれる / ~ものと見みられる means: it is thought that... / it appears that... (formal inference).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 警察けいさつの発表はっぴょうによると、事件じけんは複数ふくすう犯はんによるものと見みられる。

   According to the police, the crime appears to have been committed by more than one person.

2. この遺跡いせきは紀元前きげんぜんのものと思おもわれます。

   This ruin is thought to be from before the common era.

3. 火災かさいは、電気でんきストーブの消けし忘わすれによるものと見みられている。

   The fire is believed to have been caused by an electric heater that was left on.

4. 景気けいきの回復かいふくには、なお時間じかんがかかるものと思おもわれる。

   It appears that the economic recovery will still take some time.

When to use it

A formal, impersonal way to state a conclusion based on evidence: "it is believed that," "it appears that." Typical of news reports, police statements and analysis: 「火災かさいの原因げんいんは漏電ろうでんによるものと見みられる」. It avoids naming who is doing the thinking, which makes the statement sound objective and careful.

Nuance

Written and formal, used in news, reports and official statements. 見みられる suggests a judgment from observation or investigation; 思おもわれる is a slightly softer personal or editorial estimate. Not used in casual speech.

Compare

と思おもう is personal and casual: 犯人はんにんは男おとこだと思おもう. ようだ / らしい are everyday inferences. ものと見みられる is the news style: 犯行はんこうは計画けいかく的てきなものと見みられる. と考かんがえられる is similar, but sounds more like logical reasoning than an estimate.

Tip: Hear it on the news after "according to the police" or "according to experts." Say the cause or reason, then ものと見みられる.