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), front, forehead, forepartRelated Words outside, skin, surface, veneerNear Antonyms innards, inside, interiorAntonyms 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 grimace, frown, lower (also lour), moue, mouth, mow, mug, pout, scowl, snootRelated Words flinch, squinch, wince; growl, snarl; rictus, simper, smirk; scoff, sneer; glare, glower, look, stareNear 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 exterior, outside, shell, skin, surface, veneerRelated Words facade (also façade), front, top; cover, covering, facing; appearance, disguise, guise, mask, semblance, showAntonyms 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, look, visageRelated 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 appearance, guise, name, outward, seeming, semblance, showRelated 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, human, fish, guy, head, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, sort, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wightRelated Words hominid, homo, humanoid; brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor; celebrity, personality, self, somebodyNear 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, effrontery, gall, nerve, nerviness, pertness, presumption, presumptuousness, sauce, sauciness, temerityRelated 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, swashNear Antonyms bashfulness, diffidence, faintheartedness, hesitancy, modesty, shyness, timidity, timidness, timorousness; civility, courteousness, courtesy, gentility, graciousness, mannerliness, manners