on the face of it

adverb

from appearances alone (Freq. 1)

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irrigation often produces bumper crops from apparently desert land

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the child is seemingly healthy but the doctor is concerned

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"had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it"-Thomas Hardy

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on the face of it the problem seems minor

• Syn: ↑apparently, ↑seemingly, ↑ostensibly

• Derived from adjective: ↑ostensible (for: ↑ostensibly), ↑seeming (for: ↑seemingly), ↑apparent (for: ↑apparently)

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OSTENSIBLY, to all appearances, to all intents and purposes, at first glance, on the surface, superficially; apparently, seemingly, outwardly, it seems (that), it would seem (that), it appears (that), it would appear (that), as far as one can see/tell, by all accounts.

→ face

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on the face of it

1. On its own showing

2. As is palpably plain

3. At first glance

• • •

Main Entry: ↑face

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on the face of it phrase

used for saying that something appears to be true but might not be true when you have examined it in more detail

We do not believe on the face of it that there has been illegal activity by the banks.

Thesaurus: ways of saying that something is not definitely true_synonym

Main entry: face

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without knowing all of the relevant facts; at first glance

on the face of it, these improvements look to be insignificant

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on the ˈface of it idiom

(informal) used to say that sth seems to be good, true, etc. but that this opinion may need to be changed when you know more about it

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On the face of it, it seems like a great deal.

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What may, on the face of it, seem obvious often turns out to be far more complicated.

Main entry: ↑face_idiom