judge a book by its cover

verb

To make judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.

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Meanings

verbjudge a book by its cover (third-person singular simple present judges a book by its cover, present participle judging a book by its cover, simple past and past participle judged a book by its cover)

present singular third person judges a book by its cover · participle present judging a book by its cover · participle past judged a book by its cover · past judged a book by its cover

  1. figurativelyidiomaticTo make judgments about things or people by considering external appearances alone.
Cite this entry
APA

judge a book by its cover. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/judge%20a%20book%20by%20its%20cover

MLA

“judge a book by its cover.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/judge%20a%20book%20by%20its%20cover. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “judge a book by its cover,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/judge%20a%20book%20by%20its%20cover.

Source: judge a book by its cover on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.