by appearance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'by appearance' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the physical characteristics of a person, place, or thing that can be seen. For example: By appearance, the house looked unkempt and in need of repair.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

deluged by appearance requests from Barack Obama.

The New Yorker

The City has always been obsessed by appearance.

The Guardian - Business

Object recognition by appearance matching is demonstrated as an example application.

Columbia University

She photographs the most egregious cases and categorizes them by appearance.

The New York Times

Probably the most successful scheme of classification of galactic clusters by appearance is Trumpler's.

Britannica

By appearance alone, Devers looks as if he belongs in a high school classroom.

The New York Times - Sports

We are consumed by appearance, the reigning look is light skinned women with long (straight) hair.

The Guardian

We will not judge fellow Americans by appearance, ethnic background, or religious faith.

The Guardian

With hope, cleaning, like exercise, will produce its own encouragement by appearance.

The New York Times

We will not judge fellow Americans by appearance, ethnic background or religious faith.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

President Obama is expected to make a drop-by appearance at a meeting of the executives and White House staff.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by appearance" when you want to emphasize that a judgment or assessment is being made solely on visual characteristics, and may not reflect deeper realities.

Common error

Avoid relying solely on "by appearance" when making critical decisions; visual cues can be misleading. Always consider underlying factors and gather more comprehensive information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by appearance" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating that an assessment or judgment is based solely on visual characteristics. Ludwig's examples illustrate this usage in various contexts, from describing people to objects.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

28%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "by appearance" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to indicate that an assessment or judgment is based solely on visual characteristics. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While widely used across various contexts, including news, science, and academia, it's essential to remember that appearances can be deceiving and to consider other factors beyond what is immediately visible. Its frequency is very common across all sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at first glance

Highlights the instantaneous nature of forming an impression.

on the face of it

Suggests an initial impression that may not reflect the complete reality.

judging from the look

Focuses on forming an opinion based solely on visual assessment.

from a visual standpoint

Emphasizes the perspective of visual analysis.

based on outward signs

Highlights the use of external indicators as the basis for evaluation.

externally

Focuses on what is visible or presented to the outside.

from what one can see

Emphasizes the limitations of only considering visible aspects.

superficially

Directly refers to an assessment based on the surface level.

to all intents and purposes

Indicates an assessment that is practically true based on available information.

ostensibly

Implies that something is presented a certain way, but the true nature might be different.

FAQs

How can I use "by appearance" in a sentence?

You can use "by appearance" to describe something based solely on its outward visual qualities. For example, "By appearance, the building seemed deserted, but inside, people were working diligently."

What does "by appearance" mean?

"By appearance" means judging something based on how it looks or presents itself visually, rather than considering deeper or hidden aspects.

Which is correct, "by appearance" or "from appearance"?

"By appearance" is the correct and idiomatic phrase. "From appearance" is not commonly used and may sound awkward.

What are some alternatives to "by appearance"?

Alternatives include "on the face of it", "at first glance", or "judging from the look", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.