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at first glance vs at a first glance

Both 'at first glance' and 'at a first glance' are correct, but 'at first glance' is the more commonly used phrase in English. They both convey the idea of forming an initial impression or opinion based on a quick look.

Last updated: April 01, 2024 • 2943 views

at first glance

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to describe the initial impression or opinion one forms when looking at something quickly.

Examples:

  • At first glance, the painting seemed simple, but upon closer inspection, its complexity became apparent.
  • At first glance, the problem appeared easy to solve, but it turned out to be more challenging than expected.
  • May 15, 2021 ... at first glance as you said is the stand alone idiom... but if we use at A first glance the it somehow implies the rest of the sentence be ...
  • AT FIRST GLANCE definition: If you say that something is true or seems to be true at first glance , you mean that it... | Meaning, pronunciation ...
  • AT FIRST GLANCE definition: If you say that something is true or seems to be true at first glance , you mean that it... | Meaning, pronunciation ...

Alternatives:

  • initially
  • at a quick glance
  • at a cursory glance
  • at first sight
  • on first impression

at a first glance

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in English.

This phrase also conveys the idea of forming an initial impression or opinion based on a quick look, but it is less frequently used than 'at first glance.'

Examples:

  • At a first glance, the book seemed interesting, but after reading a few pages, it lost its appeal.
  • I do recognise that the new voting system is not simple at a first glance and I understand the EP's criticism in this regard.
  • Therefore, at a first glance, there is no message to attract their attention and the click rate will drop considerably.
  • Yes, but room 105, at a first glance, didn't look like a bomb shelter, did it?
  • At a first glance, we almost couldn't believe our eyes, but in the following years it all revealed to be incredibly true!
  • The Zanclus cornutus, in the shape of the body and the colouration of the livery, at a first glance reminds more the Pennant coralfish (Heniochus acuminatus), one of the most diffused ornamental species.
  • At a first glance, you might think that opacity and RGBA work the same way, but at a closer look you'll find out that there is a big difference.
  • There reason for this may not be clearly apparent at a first glance as it seems that the only difference in the engines is the fuel type.
  • It is true that the cost for the project may seem high at a first glance, but compared to the current levels of fraud, it is quite reasonable.
  • It added Article 53 a (new), the wording of which at a first glance is quite ambiguous as the rules on Comitology was being revised at that time.
  • Therefore, at a first glance table C represents the progress of technology as a fight against irrationality and as a completely human means to confront the force of nature.
  • If we thoroughly examine this point, at a first glance it seems that "evolution by adaptation to the environment" and "conditional evolution" -through the environment - are the same.
  • At a first glance the story of venture capital in Europe in the last few years has been a story of success.
  • At a first glance, Omaha looks a lot like Texas Hold'em. But in Omaha, each player receives four cards - this gives Omaha an interesting complexity.
  • At a first glance, this might look as a traditional Neapolitan already counting its cards, the deck reveals a Spanish flavour: there are 48 subjects instead of the usual 40.
  • It is also important to understand that this is not a mere good-evil plot as most people think at a first glance.
  • At a first glance it seems easy.
  • The prestigious restaurant Le Pont de Brent above Montreux welcomes the entire world. At a first glance, nothing - or almost nothing - has changed since Stéphane Décotterd exchanged his second-in-command chef's hat for the chef's.
  • In some very clear specimens, these dots may be so much faded to result, at a first glance, as almost non-existent.
  • Our high-quality tool presents itself favorably on white carton. The PB Swiss Tools brand is clearly recognizable at a first glance.
  • What the consumer then takes at a first glance to be fresh meat is in fact not so fresh.

Alternatives:

  • at first glance
  • initially
  • at a quick glance
  • at a cursory glance
  • at first sight

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