look good on paper
look good on paper
To seem plausible, acceptable, or adequate in theory, though it may not prove to be so in reality. Your idea looks good on paper, but I don't think it would work in a real-world environment. The strategy looked good on paper, but it proved to be much more complicated and time consuming than we had expected.
See also: good, look, on, paper
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
look good on paper
to seem fine in theory, but not perhaps in practice; to appear to be a good plan. The plan looks good on paper, but it may not work. This looks good on paper. Let's hope it works in the real world.
See also: good, look, on, paper
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
look good on paper
COMMON If something looks good on paper, it seems to be good when you read about it, but may not be good in reality. This system looks good on paper but it is expensive and, in my view, still of very limited value. Note: On paper is used in many other expressions with the same meaning. These reforms are more impressive on paper than in reality. All this theory sounds good on paper, but personally I don't agree with it.
See also: good, look, on, paper
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- (something) is one thing, (something else) is (quite) another
- it's one thing to (do sth), it's another thing to (do sth else)
- it's one thing to (do sth), it's quite another to (do sth else)
- it's one thing to do A, it's another to do B
- it's one thing to (do something), it's another to (do something else)
- something else entirely
- koshe
- (all) well and good
- all well and good
- a (real) winner