On the face of it...

Meaning

Superficially; at first glance.

Examples

• John: 'The proposal seems promising at first glance.'<br>
• Alice: '<b>On the face of it</b>, it's a good idea, but we need to examine the details.'
• John: '<b>On the face of it</b>, everything seems fine, but there are hidden problems.'
• Alice: 'The situation appears stable, but underlying issues exist.'<br>