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
On Wednesday, an official X account posted about a separate report on X misinformation from NewsGuard, a fact-checking start-up, and warned news organizations against taking the findings at face value.
—
Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
The business case for inclusion, at face value, can seem like a harder sell.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023
The public statements of leaders engaged in such high-stakes private bargaining cannot always be taken at face value.
—Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2023
But that doesn’t mean that the news media is obligated to accept such assertions at face value.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
This simple average would thus have been highly misleading if taken at face value.
—G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2023
Biden administration officials have generally been willing to take at face value Israel’s assertions that military targets exist even in civilian areas such as residential apartment buildings and hospitals.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023
However, the responses shouldn’t be taken at face value.
—Byjared Spataro, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2023
For the true cynic, there’s nothing like convincing people to take your nonsense at face value.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
See More
Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
The business case for inclusion, at face value, can seem like a harder sell.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023
The public statements of leaders engaged in such high-stakes private bargaining cannot always be taken at face value.
—Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2023
But that doesn’t mean that the news media is obligated to accept such assertions at face value.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023
This simple average would thus have been highly misleading if taken at face value.
—G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2023
Biden administration officials have generally been willing to take at face value Israel’s assertions that military targets exist even in civilian areas such as residential apartment buildings and hospitals.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023
However, the responses shouldn’t be taken at face value.
—Byjared Spataro, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2023
For the true cynic, there’s nothing like convincing people to take your nonsense at face value.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'at face value.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near at face value
Cite this Entry
“At face value.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20face%20value. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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