on the face of it
idiom
: from only what is known at first
On the face of it, her proposal seems ridiculous—maybe it will sound better when we learn more about it.
Examples of on the face of it in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And, on the face of it, an indie film about a nonagenarian might seem an unusual choice for the feature directorial debut of the highest-grossing actress of all time.
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Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 12 May 2025
So in the same way that charged particles can attract or repel depending on their charges, gravity seems on the face of it very analogous.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
So, on the face of it, the current alignment could just be seen as a coincidence.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
At least on the face of it, there’s reason to wonder at the conclusions Kaegi’s office has drawn in the wake of what all agree has been a painful post-pandemic hit to commercial values, particularly office.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
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Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 12 May 2025
So in the same way that charged particles can attract or repel depending on their charges, gravity seems on the face of it very analogous.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
So, on the face of it, the current alignment could just be seen as a coincidence.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
At least on the face of it, there’s reason to wonder at the conclusions Kaegi’s office has drawn in the wake of what all agree has been a painful post-pandemic hit to commercial values, particularly office.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the face of it
Cite this Entry
“On the face of it.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20face%20of%20it. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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