Seem means "to give a certain impression," usually by physical appearance like your messy hair and wrinkled clothing that made it seem like you just rolled out of bed.
The verb seem has several definitions. It can mean "to be apparent, or probable," like the nice person you just met who seems like he'll make a good friend. Seem can also mean "to appear to exist," like when heat shimmering on pavement makes it seem like there is a puddle on the road. The word comes from the Old Norse word soema meaning "to befit, conform to."
