face value
Americannoun
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the value printed on the face of a stock, bond, or other financial instrument or document.
-
apparent value.
Do not accept promises at face value.
noun
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the value written or stamped on the face of a commercial paper or coin
-
apparent worth or value, as opposed to real worth
Etymology
Origin of face value
First recorded in 1875–80
Compare meaning
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet BBC Sport has found thousands of tickets for matches involving the smaller nations are available well below face value across both Fifa's own resale site and secondary marketplaces.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
The settlement, which requires court approval, would limit Live Nation’s exclusive ticketing contracts with venues and impose a 15% cap on fees added to the face value of tickets.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
The announcement resembled Colossal’s rollout of the “dire wolf” pups: Publications that had received guided tours of its lab produced breathless articles taking Colossal’s claims at face value, generally lacking skeptical commentary by unaffiliated biologists.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
So it did not make sense at face value for him to bother converting.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Or is she content to take me at face value, a cardboard cutout queen?
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
