facelift

noun

face·​lift ˈfās-ˌlift How to pronounce facelift (audio)
variants or face lift or face-lift
plural facelifts or face lifts or face-lifts
Synonyms of faceliftnext
1
: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)
[Robert] Redford's publicist of 33 years, Lois Smith, denies her client has had any sort of facelift, eye job or chemical peel. "He's never, never, never had cosmetic surgery," she says.People Weekly
Many face lifts last between five and 10 years, but the procedure can cause hematomas, bleeding and nerve damage …Mary Murphy
Technically, a face-lift "lifts" both the face and the neck, and many plastic surgeons believe the neck shows the more dramatic improvement.Vogue
2
: an alteration, restoration, or restyling (as of a building) intended especially to modernize
The facelift was intended to return the 95-year-old hall's acclaimed acoustics to original purity …US News & World Report
Over time, the building was given a $15 million face lift, which created a new entrance on Fifth Avenue, subdued but plush interiors and escalators.Carrie Donovan
All 48 models from kids bikes to $3,000 racing bikes were redesigned … and each got a color and graphics face-lift.Laura Loro
facelift transitive verb
or face-lift or less commonly face lift
facelifted or face-lifted also face lifted; facelifting or face-lifting also face lifting; facelifts or face-lifts also face lifts
… said she would like to add more parking and continue to work on facelifting the venue. Dean Manning
… a former vaudeville palace recently face-lifted into a glittering performing arts center. Priit Vesilind

Examples of facelift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rosie O'Donnell is opening up about her facelift journey and shared a before-and-after photo of her transformation. Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 27 May 2026 O'Donnell sat for a few months with the idea of getting a facelift, then realized that not doing would also send her child a message. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 May 2026 After losing 50 pounds, Rosie O'Donnell — who once vowed to never get plastic surgery — got a facelift. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026 Take Ian Callum’s F-Type, which was universally lauded after its launch in 2013, for being both beautiful and exciting to drive, getting even better after a facelift in 2019. Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 25 May 2026 Janice Dickinson debuted her new facelift for the first time in before-and-after photos. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 23 May 2026 Anne Hathaway is refuting online speculation over whether she's had a facelift. Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026 The more than 212,000-square-foot building will get a facelift and up-fit, Austin said, but the ownership change isn’t expected to impact the 65 employees at Vision Metering. John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026 The highway from the Guadalajara city airport to downtown is newly paved and the city’s famous roundabout has gotten a $4-million facelift. Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of facelift was in 1926

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Facelift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facelift. Accessed 28 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

face-lift

noun
ˈfā-ˌslift
1
: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove defects and imperfections (as wrinkles or sagging skin)
2
: an alteration, restoration, or remodeling (as of a building) intended especially to make more modern
face-lift verb

Medical Definition

facelift

noun
face·​lift
variants or face lift or face-lift
: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)

called also rhytidectomy

facelift transitive verb
or face-lift also face lift

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