1
: the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
broadly
: the lateral aspect of the head
2
: something suggestive of the human cheek in position or form
especially
: one of two laterally paired parts
3
: insolent boldness and self-assurance
4
cheeked; cheeking; cheeks
Synonyms
Examples of cheek in a Sentence
Noun
He kissed her on the cheek.
He's got a cheek ignoring us like that.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Be honest, everyone, who’s got smoother cheeks, me or him?
—Jay Katsir, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2023
Of course, the bronzed vibes continued on Bieber's warm, glowy cheeks.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 14 Sep. 2023
It’s got single teardrops running down cheeks, a taste for nooks of the historical record left unknown and a big heart.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023
Lupus Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes a red scaly rash on the cheeks and nose, says Dr. Parikh.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
The telltale signs are small, white patches on your baby's gums, tongue, inside cheeks, or lips.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
To create the most natural smattering, the key is to know when to stop: dot a few spots over the bridge of your nose and then just a few where the sun hits your face on your cheeks, and that’s it.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2023
Drew Kennison walked out of his house that February morning and felt snowflakes on his cheeks.
—Tom Hallman, oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2023
Kaitlin Clark, Allure, 9 Feb. 2022
It’s been described as facial deflating given that fat is lost in all areas of the face, unlike buccal or cheek fat removal, which only takes fat out of certain areas of the face.
—Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2023
With this hydrating, buildable, multi-tasking stick, you're set with lip and cheek color that's also perfect for on-the-go.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2023
Incisors for nipping and gripping, canines for piercing, and cheek teeth for slicing, grinding, crushing, or all three.
—Riley Black, Discover Magazine, 29 Sep. 2022
Meanwhile, makeup brand Tarte released a collection of color-shifting lip and cheek oils that monitor your moods, currently going viral on the clock app.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, refinery29.com, 4 Jan. 2023
The line, out March 21, comprises eight product types: eye shadow palettes, potted gel eye shadows, eye gloss, false eyelashes, cheek and lip stains, a face mist, and a makeup primer just for the undereyes.
—Allure, 16 Mar. 2022
There's also support for Spotify Tap, a relatively new feature that lets subscribers of that streaming service directly launch the app and swap between playlists with a few button (or cheek, in this case) presses.
—Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2022
The department posted photos of the small brown and black mammal crouching fearfully in a mesh crate after capture, with bloody wounds on its nose, cheek and forehead.
—Tiffini Theisen, orlandosentinel.com, 18 Jan. 2022
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Noun
In the adorable photos, Cooper smiles with his sons while sitting in the grass, giving Sebastian a sweet kiss on the cheek.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Be honest, everyone, who’s got smoother cheeks, me or him?
—Jay Katsir, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2023
Of course, the bronzed vibes continued on Bieber's warm, glowy cheeks.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 14 Sep. 2023
It’s got single teardrops running down cheeks, a taste for nooks of the historical record left unknown and a big heart.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023
Lupus Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes a red scaly rash on the cheeks and nose, says Dr. Parikh.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
The telltale signs are small, white patches on your baby's gums, tongue, inside cheeks, or lips.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
To create the most natural smattering, the key is to know when to stop: dot a few spots over the bridge of your nose and then just a few where the sun hits your face on your cheeks, and that’s it.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2023
Drew Kennison walked out of his house that February morning and felt snowflakes on his cheeks.
—Tom Hallman, oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2023
Verb
What goals can cheek filler address?
—Kaitlin Clark, Allure, 9 Feb. 2022
It’s been described as facial deflating given that fat is lost in all areas of the face, unlike buccal or cheek fat removal, which only takes fat out of certain areas of the face.
—Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2023
With this hydrating, buildable, multi-tasking stick, you're set with lip and cheek color that's also perfect for on-the-go.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2023
Incisors for nipping and gripping, canines for piercing, and cheek teeth for slicing, grinding, crushing, or all three.
—Riley Black, Discover Magazine, 29 Sep. 2022
Meanwhile, makeup brand Tarte released a collection of color-shifting lip and cheek oils that monitor your moods, currently going viral on the clock app.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, refinery29.com, 4 Jan. 2023
The line, out March 21, comprises eight product types: eye shadow palettes, potted gel eye shadows, eye gloss, false eyelashes, cheek and lip stains, a face mist, and a makeup primer just for the undereyes.
—Allure, 16 Mar. 2022
There's also support for Spotify Tap, a relatively new feature that lets subscribers of that streaming service directly launch the app and swap between playlists with a few button (or cheek, in this case) presses.
—Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, 15 Feb. 2022
The department posted photos of the small brown and black mammal crouching fearfully in a mesh crate after capture, with bloody wounds on its nose, cheek and forehead.
—Tiffini Theisen, orlandosentinel.com, 18 Jan. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cheek.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing cheek
Dictionary Entries Near cheek
Cite this Entry
“Cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cheek. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
cheek
nounˈchēk
1
: the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
2
: disrespectful speech or behavior : nerve
Medical Definition
cheek
1 of 2 nounˈchēk
1
: the fleshy side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth
broadly
: the lateral aspect of the head
2
cheek
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to conceal (medication) in the cheek for future use
On March 29, two days before she committed suicide, the staff found she had been "cheeking medications" to save them for a later overdose …—Michael O'D. Moore, The Bangor (Maine) Daily News
Michael O'D. Moore, The Bangor (Maine) Daily News
More from Merriam-Webster on cheek
Nglish: Translation of cheek for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cheek for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cheek
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