frown 1 of 2

Definition of frownnext
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval it was clear from the frown on the CEO's face that sales were headed in the wrong direction

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frown

2 of 2

verb

as in to scowl
to look with anger or disapproval the boss just stood there and frowned at his assistant who, once again, was in trouble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 frown
Noun
My best friend Russell is an acupuncturist, and seemed like the perfect person to place my tape, slapping it on my frown lines, crow’s-feet, and nasolabial folds. Lena Dunham, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2025 Those surrounding the bride stood up and began clapping, their frowns shifting to wide smiles. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
As the odd man out, Meta does not have a public cloud, and its capex increase was frowned upon by investors. Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 6 May 2026 The politicians frown as their entourage of assistants frantically jot things in notebooks that seem like they’ll be filed away somewhere. Óscar Martínez, The Dial, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frown
Noun
  • So just sit and smile, a departure from a career built on scowl.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026
  • This means a scowl is relatively likely to be an expression of anger.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • Indiana walks away with a huge win, and the WNBA walks away with another glaring lesson in who actually drives the bus.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
  • Following last year’s Louvre heist, a new report released by a French parliamentary commission on May 13 sheds light on glaring security deficiencies within the country’s cultural institutions.
    News Desk, Artforum, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • And Ahmed, with his fearful eyes and tense grimace, makes for a compellingly sad and isolated figure.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Charlie Lindgren’s grimace was evident behind his mask.
    Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Why Off-Grid Travel Is Booming In 2026 The shift is driven by hard numbers about how much of life is spent staring at a screen.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
  • His hands were at ten and two, his face fixed, staring straight ahead.
    Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • An elderly man offered a smirk for his mugshot after being arrested in a caught-on-camera hit-and-run involving a cyclist group.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
  • The prospect of doing it again with even larger stakes brought an excited smirk to Smart’s face.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

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

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