great on paper
2
6.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
genial en teoría
- And it sounds great on paper, but within a month it's not like that at all; it goes back to that other sort of thing.
- look great on paper
- sound great on paper
Well, all of that sounds great on paper, but it is not only impossible in all narcissistic relationships.
- Well, all of that sounds great on paper, but it is not only impossible in all narcissistic relationships.
Examples
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Their theories, though they look great on paper, don't always pan out as well in the real world.
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Cheap hydro from Quebec sounds great on paper, but they have not been known as a friendly company in the past.
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We look great on paper, assuming we're healthy.
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Me, personally, I think the PASS system looks great on paper, but it has way too many flaws when put into actual practice.
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Just like with NCLB, it is a great concept and looks great on paper, but when you try to fit it to every system, it's an impossible task!
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This sounds great on paper, but in reality, finding a gathering that will bring order supernaturally (at least for me) is almost impossible.
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Being eco-friendly looks great on paper, but there's much more to be gained from an operational standpoint.
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We've all met that guy (or gal) who "looks great on paper" and has all of the qualities we're looking for in a partner, and yet with whom there is just no "spark" generated.
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That's great on paper, in a historical or city staff meeting, or by the public's perception, but it might not be so great with the owner who can't afford those things.
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Sometimes an opportunity looks great on paper, but the reality is quite different.
Antonyms
How Promising
- Informal
2
6.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is compositionally derivable: 'great' (excellent) combined with the locative 'on' + 'paper' evokes being excellent on the document — i.e., in theory or according to plans. This metonymic use of 'paper' to mean ‘in writing/documents’ is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Great on paper comes from the simple picture of a plan or idea written on paper that looks perfect, but when people try it in real life it may not work. That's why the phrase means 'appearing excellent in theory but not always in practice'.