face

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noun

Definition of FACE

1

the front part of the head <the criminal hid his face from the news cameras as he slumped into the patrol car>

Synonyms countenance, kisser [slang], mug, pan [slang], puss [slang], visage

Related Words appearance, aspect, features, lineaments, looks, mien, presence; expression, physiognomy

2

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>

Synonyms exterior, facade (also façade), face, forehead, forepart

Related Words outside, skin, surface, veneer

Near Antonyms innards, inside, interior

Antonyms back, rear, rearward, reverse

3

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

Synonyms face, frown, lower (also lour), moue, mouth, mow, mug, pout, scowl, snoot

Related Words flinch, squinch, wince; growl, snarl; rictus, simper, smirk; scoff, sneer; glare, glower, look, stare

Near Antonyms grin, laugh, smile

4

an outer part or layer <a much-needed sandblasting revealed that the face of the old stone church is actually a pinkish granite>

Synonyms face, outside, shell, skin, surface, veneer

Related Words facade (also façade), front, top; cover, covering, facing; appearance, disguise, guise, mask, semblance, show

Antonyms inside, interior

5

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>

Synonyms cast, countenance, expression, face, visage

Related Words frown, grimace, lower (also lour), mouth, pout, scowl; grin, smile; air, appearance, aspect, bearing, demeanor, manner, mien, presence

6

outward and often deceptive indication <on the face of it, the country went to war for noble reasons>

Synonyms face, guise, name, outward, seeming, semblance, show

Related Words air, effect, impression; hint, implication, insinuation, resemblance, suggestion; affectation, demonstration, display, fiction, image, imitation, imposture, likeness, make-believe (also make-belief), pose, pretense (or pretence), representation, simulation; cloak, disguise, exterior, facade (also façade), front, gloss, mask, masquerade, patina, Potemkin village, shape, shell, surface, veneer

7

a member of the human race <I see they've hired some new faces>

Synonyms baby, being, bird, bod [British], body, character, cookie (or cooky), creature, customer, devil, duck, egg, face, fish, guy, head, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, sort, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wight

Related Words hominid, homo, humanoid; brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor; celebrity, personality, self, somebody

Near Antonyms animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter

8

shameless boldness <you have to wonder how anyone has the face to ask such a personal question>

Synonyms audaciousness, audacity, brashness, brass, brassiness, brazenness, cheek, cheekiness, chutzpah (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa), crust, face, gall, nerve, nerviness, pertness, presumption, presumptuousness, sauce, sauciness, temerity

Related Words arrogance, assurance, cockiness, confidence, hardihood, overconfidence, sanguinity, self-assurance, self-confidence; discourteousness, disrespect, impertinence, impoliteness, impudence, incivility, inconsiderateness, inconsideration, insolence, rudeness, ungraciousness; back talk, sass; swagger, swash

Near Antonyms bashfulness, diffidence, faintheartedness, hesitancy, modesty, shyness, timidity, timidness, timorousness; civility, courteousness, courtesy, gentility, graciousness, mannerliness, manners

9

a state of mind in which one is free from doubt <he managed to maintain face despite the endless series of crises>

Synonyms assurance, assuredness, certainty, certitude, cocksureness, conviction, doubtlessness, face, positiveness, satisfaction, sureness, surety

Related Words authoritarianism, dogmatism; decisiveness, determination, firmness, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution, resolve

Near Antonyms hesitancy, hesitation, indecisiveness, irresolution; disbelief, incredulity, unbelief; anxiety, concern, misgiving; distrust, mistrust, suspicion

Antonyms doubt, incertitude, nonconfidence, uncertainty