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

Kris received her first facelift in 2011 and documented the experience on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025

From techniques like deep-plane facelifts to the use of innovations such as tranexamic acid for safer, more technically proficient procedures, the field continues to evolve toward precision and care. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025

The new editor is also giving the magazine a facelift, redesigning its logo and drawing visual inspiration from its archives. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025

Gonzales wore a white sweatshirt, in direct opposition to the black jumpsuit synonymous with Napier, and Florida’s offense had a playmaking facelift. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025

The light facelift brings a new front-end design and contrast wheel arch flares to emphasize the van's all-wheel off-road capabilities. —New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025

Ian Callum’s brilliant original design received a facelift in 2021, which, like many facelifts, did no favors for the patient. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025

The 35-year-old actress also hasn't succumbed to the new facelift trend, but does plan on having one done at some point. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025

Jeep is giving its bestselling SUV a slight facelift and an overhaul underneath the hood. —Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 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