also: そとみ
Refers to how someone or something looks from the outside; neutral term for physical appearance.
You shouldn't judge people by their appearance alone.
This building looks old from the outside, but the inside is very clean.
You shouldn't judge people by their appearance.
He is very concerned about his appearance.
Young people these days tend to be particular about their appearance.
His appearance changed a lot after he changed his hairstyle.
外見 is a more formal, neutral term for physical appearance, whereas ビジュアル carries a modern, media/design-industry nuance.
外見 is a formal, analytical term for external appearance, whereas ルックス is casual slang focused on how attractive someone looks.
外見 focuses on the visible appearance of a person or thing, while 表面 in this sense stresses the superficial layer that may hide a different reality.
外見 is a neutral word for how someone looks overall, while 身だしなみ specifically implies effort to look neat and socially acceptable.
外見 stresses surface impression or outward looks, while 姿 can also describe posture, silhouette, or a whole scene of appearance.