on the face of it

idiom
UK: /ˌɒn ðə ˈfeɪs ɒv ɪt/
US: /ˌɑːn ðə ˈfeɪs ʌv ɪt/

  1. Based on first impressions; seemingly.

    1. On the face of it, he seems nice.
    2. On the face of it, their offer looks good, but we need to examine the details carefully.

  2. According to the initial or surface appearance.

    1. It looks simple on the face of it.
    2. On the face of it, the problem seems easy, but there are hidden complications involved.

Synonyms

apparently seemingly ostensibly

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "on the face of it" in English means: Based on first impressions; seemingly., According to the initial or surface appearance..

The phonetic transcription of "on the face of it" is /ˌɒn ðə ˈfeɪs ɒv ɪt/ in British English and /ˌɑːn ðə ˈfeɪs ʌv ɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "on the face of it": apparently, seemingly, ostensibly.

Example usage of "on the face of it": "On the face of it, he seems nice.". More examples on the page.