Examples:

• It seemed to be a move to a more moderate position, on the face of it.
• Our citizens cannot accept that the European Union takes decisions in a way that is, at least on the face of it, bureaucratic.
• What's that supposed to mean— "on the face of it"?
• Now, as you can see, on the face of it this looks like bribery.
• Such as? Stephen Cavendish is a rich man, on the face of it.
• OK, yeah, on the face of it, it looks odd.
• Which, on the face of it, does seem to be unlikely.
• All right, well on the face of it, if the logic is compelling.
• OK, yeah, on the face of it, it looks odd.
• Their capitulation was, on the face of it, complete.