On The Face Of It (Adverb)
Meaning
From appearances alone; "irrigation often produces bumper crops from apparently desert land"; "the child is seemingly healthy but the doctor is concerned"; "had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it"-Thomas Hardy; "on the face of it the problem seems minor".
Examples
- On the face of it, the project seemed like a surefire success, but its financial backing was uncertain.
- On the face of it, the data suggested that there was no correlation between the two variables, but further analysis revealed a deeper connection.
- On the face of it, her alibi checked out, but the detectives still had their suspicions.
- On the face of it, the company's financial reports seemed healthy, but they hid a mountain of debt.
- On the face of it, the teacher's offer to help was a generous one, but some of the students wondered if she had an ulterior motive.