frown 1 of 2

as in grimace
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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frown

2 of 2

verb

as in to glare
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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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
Young visitors at the Vietnam Military History Museum posted photos of themselves next to the flag with deep frowns, thumbs down or middle fingers raised. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025 In this community, mention of President Trump elicits shudders, frowns or blank stares. Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. CNN Money, 15 June 2025 Many women hold back on their pricing or going after big deals and showing up competitively in the market because it is frowned upon. Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for frown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frown
Noun
  • In an alarming sight for an already-banged-up inside linebacker room, Greenlaw pulled up with a grimace after covering J.K. Dobbins on an LB-RB one-on-one pass-coverage drill.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 31 July 2025
  • In one image, Scales, who had won a Military Cross for his bravery at the front, wears a crooked grimace that suggests recent anguish.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • The New York Yankees dropped their series against the first-place Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday and the need for some upgrades at the trade deadline is glaring.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
  • The disparity is especially glaring in the fashion industry, where women drive the vast majority of consumer spending yet are rarely in control of the capital or the chief leadership roles that shape the industry.
    Angela Chan-Danisi, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • Serve up in a stemmed glass, and garnish with a scowl, or perhaps a war story.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 11 July 2025
  • Balthazar, played in a hipster fade and with a puppy-dog scowl by Jaeden Martell, is a New York rich kid with a life coach and a divorced mother (Jennifer Ehle) who’s too busy throwing political cocktail parties to pay him much attention.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 June 2025
Verb
  • Bryan stopped singing the chorus for a second and stared into the crowd before carrying on with the 2011 song, handling the slight interruption like a pro. Fans responded to the incident online.
    Marina Watts, People.com, 30 July 2025
  • That meant the audience stared, entranced, at a stage filled with string musicians and an upright bass player, with drummer Brian Chase in the back and guitarist Nick Zinner mostly playing acoustic instruments.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2025

Cite this Entry

“Frown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frown. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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