to maintain appearances

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to maintain appearances" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of keeping up a certain image or facade, often to avoid judgment or scrutiny from others. Example: "Despite their financial struggles, they continued to maintain appearances by living in a lavish home and driving expensive cars."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

"They would do anything to maintain appearances," he said.

The New York Times

In a crumbling old Victorian home, a family crumbles while doing their best to maintain appearances and lie to themselves.

The Guardian - Books

In June 2012, on the day of his election, Morsi seemed to understand the need to maintain appearances.

The Guardian

"I think they bring minorities in the door to maintain appearances, and so they can say they are diverse," he said of the agency.

The New York Times

"In the activist movement, conflict is often regarded as an aberration, hence this need to maintain appearances of harmony and constant consensus.

The Guardian - Opinion

But does it cost £1,235-a-day to maintain appearances when you get an 80% staff discount on the in-house clobber?

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

In fact, popularity is often not nice, as it entails responsibilities to maintain certain appearances, hang around certain people and always feel on show.

WikiHow

As for the third factor (F3), it is understandable that, in-class competition and desire to maintain social appearances, or even a desire to impress other peers by native-like L2 speech, naturally occur in group psychology.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

Accepting screening would prevent this embarrassment from occurring and therefore help professionals' to maintain their appearances of competence.

BMC Public Health

Added State, it appears that "the government's policy towards religion has been to maintain an appearance of tolerance for international audiences, while suppressing internally all non-state-sanctioned religious activities".

Huffington Post

Now, though, people on both sides of the feud question whether the two men were ever really close or whether they were simply maintaining appearances to help win regulatory approval for their projects in the United States and abroad.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to maintain appearances", consider the specific context. Be sure the intended meaning is to preserve a facade or outward image, not simply to maintain something in good condition.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "to maintain appearances". While correct, overusing it can make your writing sound repetitive. Explore synonyms like "to keep up appearances" or "to preserve an image" to vary your language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to maintain appearances" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It indicates the reason behind an action, explaining why someone does something to preserve a specific outward image. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely understood.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

12%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to maintain appearances" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression that explains the motivation behind actions taken to preserve a specific outward image. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s reliable for expressing the purpose of concealing underlying realities. Found frequently in News & Media, it holds a neutral register, suitable for various contexts, though formal writing might benefit from more sophisticated alternatives. While "to maintain appearances" is valuable, avoid overuse by considering alternatives such as "to keep up appearances" or "to preserve an image".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to keep up appearances

Similar in meaning, but uses a more colloquial expression.

to keep up a facade

Emphasizes the act of constructing and upholding a deceptive or artificial front.

to preserve an image

Focuses on the act of protecting and upholding a certain perception.

to uphold a pretense

Highlights the act of sustaining a false or artificial show.

to put on a show

Suggests a deliberate performance aimed at deceiving or impressing others.

to project an image

Highlights the act of outwardly displaying a particular persona.

to save face

Implies an effort to avoid embarrassment or humiliation.

to feign normalcy

Focuses on pretending to be ordinary or unaffected, when that is not the case.

to create an impression

Focuses on the intentional act of forming a specific perception in someone's mind.

to uphold standards

More general, implies adhering to certain expected behaviors or qualities.

FAQs

How can I use "to maintain appearances" in a sentence?

You can use "to maintain appearances" to describe actions taken to preserve a certain image or facade, as in "Despite their financial troubles, they continued "to maintain appearances" by living in a lavish home".

What's a good alternative to "to maintain appearances"?

Alternatives include "to keep up appearances", "to preserve an image", or "to uphold a pretense", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "to maintain appearances" formal or informal?

"To maintain appearances" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives might exist for academic writing.

What does it mean "to maintain appearances"?

It means to behave or present oneself in a way that conforms to a certain standard or expectation, often to conceal one's true situation or feelings. It's about upholding a specific image or "to keep up a facade".