facelift

noun

face·​lift ˈfās-ˌlift 

variants or face lift or face-lift

plural facelifts or face lifts or face-lifts

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

For 2006, the LP640 received a facelift by Filippo Perini, who became Lamborghini Style Center’s Head of Exterior and Interior Design in 2004 and Head of Design in 2006. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2025

From celebs like Kris Kardashian to the increase in using plastic surgery brokers to find a doctor abroad, facelifts were everywhere in 2025. —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025

That same innovative thinking now defines his approach to facial rejuvenation for patients who understand the difference between a standard facelift and truly transformative work. —Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025

Cowell denied undergoing a facelift in the same Daily Mail interview. —Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

In recent years, the facelift has seized the zeitgeist. —Jolene Edgar, Allure, 11 Dec. 2025

SouthState Bank is giving its new Colorado home a facelift. —Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025

Jankavski gained widespread attention on social media for openly sharing her numerous cosmetic procedures, including a facelift in June. —Vivian Kwarm, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025

Trump said at least two of the courses could get facelifts. —Will Weissert, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for facelift

• adrift
• airlift
• festschrift
• forklift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift
• drift

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

ˈfā-ˌslift 

: 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