face value

[ feys val-yoo feys val-yoo ]

noun

1. the value printed on the face of a stock, bond, or other financial instrument or document.
2. apparent value:

   Do not accept promises at face value.

face value

noun

1. the value written or stamped on the face of a commercial paper or coin
2. apparent worth or value, as opposed to real worth

Word History and Origins

Origin of face value¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Idioms and Phrases

see at face value .

Example Sentences

Maybe it was the lifelong oh-so-mistaken tendency to take him at face value, to see just his exterior gawk and the commonplace physique, the failure to divine his internals.

From Washington Post

Evidently, we should not take Facebook’s commitment to stop hate at face value.

From Time

If you take the rates at face value, you’d expect one once every 50 years or so.

From Popular-Science

I think fans and people outside the industry took the press release at face value but people inside the industry heard pretty quickly what had really happened.

From Washington Blade

So even if we take links at face value, they’re pretty deeply entwined with brand.

From Search Engine Land

Essentially, we are being left in a position where we are expected to just take agency promises at face value.

From The Daily Beast

As a journalist, I knew not to accept anything on the Internet at face value.

From The Daily Beast

Coined “obscenity regulations,” on face value they appear to ban material that “depicts or describes sexual misconduct.”

From The Daily Beast

Their collective face value: trillions of whatever currency you choose.

From The Daily Beast

But let's put partisan spin aside and accept Christie's contrite denials of personal knowledge at face value.

From The Daily Beast

He was young, he was good looking, he had the education and appearance of a gentleman, and people accepted him at his face value.

From Project Gutenberg

Becoming possessed of a note of Maxime de Trailles in 1833, he succeeded by Scapinal tactics in obtaining face value of the paper.

From Project Gutenberg

They have taken me at my face value—face without moustache and kindred make-up.

From Project Gutenberg

Under no circumstances will stamps be sold for less than their face value.

From Project Gutenberg

This was entirely plausible and his hearers, The Hopper noted with relief, accepted it at face value.

From Project Gutenberg