at first glance

prepositional phrase

After only a superficial examination or review.

“At first glance it seems to be a reasonable idea. But we'll see.”

Similar
at first blushat first sighton the face of it
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. modalAfter only a superficial examination or review.

    At first glance it seems to be a reasonable idea. But we'll see.

    2 more examples

    At first glance, thinking well of yourself seems obviously preferable to thinking poorly of yourself. But the problem with […]

    2007 August 18, Oliver Burkeman, “Feel good, feel bad”, in The Guardian

    At first glance, Saltburn is classic clash-of-the-classes fare: a tale of social strata, moral vacuity and the seductions of wealth, with a poor boy ushered into his rich friend's kingdom.

    2023 November 13, Rosalind Jana, “Saltburn and the bizarre life of Britain's stately homes”, in BBC

    Synonyms: at first blush, at first sight, on the face of it

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseAfter only a superficial examination or review.

Similar
at first blushat first sighton the face of it

More synonyms by meaning

adverbon first seeing (someone or something); immediately

Similar
at first sight

adverbafter an initial impression, which later proves incorrect

Similar
at first sight
Also see
apparentlyat first blushat first sighton the face of iton the surfaceostensiblyprima facieto all appearances

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic لِلْوَهْلَة الْأُولَى
  • لِلْوَهْلَة الْأُولَى (li-l-wahla l-ʔūlā)after only a superficial examination or review
Catalan a primera vista
  • a primera vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
Chinese Mandarin 乍看, 看一眼
  • 乍看 (zhàkàn)after only a superficial examination or review
  • 看一眼 (kàn yīyǎn)after only a superficial examination or review
Danish ved første øjekast, ved første blik
  • ved første øjekastafter only a superficial examination or review
  • ved første blikafter only a superficial examination or review
Dutch op het eerste gezicht
  • op het eerste gezichtafter only a superficial examination or review
Esperanto unuavide
  • unuavideafter only a superficial examination or review
Finnish ensisilmäyksellä, ensinäkemältä
  • ensisilmäykselläafter only a superficial examination or review
  • ensinäkemältäafter only a superficial examination or review
French à première vue, de prime abord
  • à première vueafter only a superficial examination or review
  • de prime abordafter only a superficial examination or review
  • au premier abordafter only a superficial examination or review
  • à vue de nezafter only a superficial examination or review
German auf den ersten Blick
  • auf den ersten Blickafter only a superficial examination or review
Greek εκ πρώτης όψεως
  • εκ πρώτης όψεως (ek prótis ópseos)after only a superficial examination or review
Hebrew בהשקפה ראשונה
  • בהשקפה ראשונה (b'hashkafá rishoná)after only a superficial examination or review
Hindi प्रथम दृष्ट्या
  • प्रथम दृष्ट्या (pratham dŕṣṭyā)after only a superficial examination or review
Hungarian első látásra, első pillantásra
  • első látásraafter only a superficial examination or review
  • első pillantásraafter only a superficial examination or review
Icelandic við fyrstu sýn
  • við fyrstu sýnafter only a superficial examination or review
Indonesian pada pandangan pertama
  • pada pandangan pertamaafter only a superficial examination or review
Italian a prima vista
  • a prima vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
Japanese 一目見ただけで
  • 一目見ただけで (hitome mita dake de)after only a superficial examination or review
Korean 일견하여
  • 일견하여 (ilgyeonhayeo)after only a superficial examination or review
Latin prīmā speciē
  • prīmā speciēafter only a superficial examination or review
Latvian no pirmā acu uzmetiena
  • no pirmā acu uzmetienaafter only a superficial examination or review
Polish na pierwszy rzut oka
  • na pierwszy rzut okaafter only a superficial examination or review
Portuguese à primeira vista
  • à primeira vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
Russian на пе́рвый взгляд
  • на пе́рвый взгляд (na pérvyj vzgljad)after only a superficial examination or review
Scottish Gaelic air a' chiad shealladh
  • air a' chiad shealladhafter only a superficial examination or review
Spanish a primera vista, a simple vista
  • a primera vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
  • a simple vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
  • a media vistaafter only a superficial examination or review
Swedish vid första anblicken, vid en första anblick
  • vid första anblickenafter only a superficial examination or review
  • vid en första anblickafter only a superficial examination or review
Turkish ilk bakışta
  • ilk bakıştaafter only a superficial examination or review
Ukrainian на пе́рший погляд
  • на пе́рший погляд (na péršyj pohljad)after only a superficial examination or review
Vietnamese ban đầu, thoạt nhìn
  • ban đầuafter only a superficial examination or review
  • thoạt nhìnafter only a superficial examination or review
Cite this entry
APA

at first glance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20first%20glance

MLA

“at first glance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20first%20glance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at first glance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20first%20glance.

Source: at first glance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.