at face value

idiom

1
: for the price that is printed on something
We bought the tickets at face value.
2
: as true or genuine without being questioned or doubted
After all his lying, nothing he says now should be taken/accepted at face value.

Examples of at face value in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, the validity of the results of polls in an authoritarian society at war cannot be taken at face value. Elizaveta Gaufman, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2026 No gimmicks, just fashion at face value. José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026 But both Buchman and Moss caution against taking the ranking at face value. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026 Advertisement The premise is enough of a murder-show Mad Lib to suggest, correctly, that a creator of this caliber won’t be taking it at face value. Judy Berman, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at face value

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At face value.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20face%20value. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster