face 1 of 2

Definition of facenext
1
as in to front
to stand or sit with the face or front toward the house faces the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean

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as in to encounter
to enter into contest or conflict with the Boston Red Sox were eager to face their traditional rivals, the Yankees, in the play-offs

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face

2 of 2

noun

1
as in looks
the front part of the head the criminal hid his face from the news cameras as he slumped into the patrol car

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2
as in front
a forward part or surface the face of the store building has been altered many times over the years to meet changing tastes and needs

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3
as in frown
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval it's rude to make a face when your dinner hostess offers you broccoli

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4
as in exterior
an outer part or layer a much-needed sandblasting revealed that the face of the old stone church is actually a pinkish granite

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5
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling a rainy day is no excuse for just moping around with a long face, so let's do something

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of face
Verb
The Falcons face only three of the teams that finished in the league’s top 10 in scoring defense last year, and none from the top five. Josh Kendall, New York Times, 15 May 2026 Twentysomethings leaving college this May face a radically different world. Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
An immediate shock washed over my face, the only part of me exposed to the elements. Carinne Geil Botta, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026 When Hayes turned 6 in March, his mother posted an Instagram photo of them together, with his face blocked out with a white heart emoji. Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for face
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face
Verb
  • Just days after choosing Fever rookie Raven Johnson over generational superstar Caitlin Clark to front the promotional graphics for Sunday's matchup against the Seattle Storm, Indiana took the court and let the box score settle the discourse.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
  • Hayek Pinault will front this year’s fundraiser alongside fellow Mexican Academy Award winners Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu, in what the Serpentine touts as a celebration of Mexican creativity and Latin America’s place in global culture.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • One day, the crew was filming a scene at one of Christie’s fashion shows, where the Velvet Gang confronts its nemesis.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • Despite strong critical support, it was allotted limited showtimes and minimal exhibition backing — a situation its makers came to see as emblematic of wider structural failures confronting Indian indie cinema.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Seed Studio Landscape Design used medium-width horizontal panels on the privacy fencing of this elegant backyard grill space and layered on thinner wood slats in the same warm tone to clad the outdoor kitchen.
    Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The same went for the team’s suggestion to clad the powder room in tree bark, a nod to rustic Adirondack camp interiors.
    Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chelsea’s squad demographic falls somewhere in between but is probably closer to the former than the latter, and a football legend with his resume should not encounter the authority problems faced by owner BlueCo’s previous hires.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Their deaths were not inevitable — they were exposed to, and in many cases were pushed harmful content online, the kind any child could encounter.
    Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • The looks that walked down the runway also called upon the dream, soundtracked by a score that included blues icon John Lee Hooker and beloved French band Air.
    Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • The Morning Show star, 57, shared an Instagram post on Thursday, May 14, reflecting on some of her most popular banged looks throughout the years while giving some advice to fans who were thinking about getting a cut.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Stay in a Former Warehouse Meantime, Gibson’s Warehouse is a boutique property with a history of its own, and one that dates to the early 1900s when this inn got its start as a warehouse with a brick façade.
    Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
  • This dual-purpose envelope combines functionality with expressive design, creating a facade that is both energy efficient and visually striking.
    Adam Williams May 13, New Atlas, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • The Spaniard left hurriedly, carrying a frown that owed to a sense of injustice.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • Greg’s smile, contrasted with the frowns and thumbs-down from the rest of the crew, makes for an entertaining visual.
    Erin Qualey, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Bastrop County detectives found evidence that Aviles had been dragged, strangled and assaulted, noting mud on her clothing and feet, bruising on her neck, chin and lip, and blood on her face and the exterior of her car.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
  • Standing adjacent to the Orion capsule, the Blue Moon crew cabin and exterior resemble the design of the lander's Mark 2 variant, which will eventually land Artemis astronauts on the moon, if all goes according to plan.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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