cheek

noun \ ˈchēk \

Definition of cheek

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 :buttock 1

—

cheekful

play \-ˌfu̇l\ noun

See cheek defined for English-language learners

See cheek defined for kids

Examples of cheek in a Sentence

He kissed her on the cheek.
He's got a cheek ignoring us like that.

Recent Examples of cheek from the Web

A: The whole competition is a little tongue-in-cheek, but the person who wins often ends up promoting Celebrate Highwood for the next 12 months.

— karen berkowitz, chicagotribune.com, "Shout Out: Scott Baeseman, Garlic King," 29 Aug. 2017
Skin bummer: Melasma This hormonal imbalance (often caused by taking birth control pills) results in brown spots on your forehead, cheeks, or above your top lip.

— nicole catanese, Cosmopolitan, "The 8 Most Annoying Skin Problems Every Girl Deals With," 24 Aug. 2017
His face was shiny with a thin layer of sweat, and his cheeks were rosy.

— lisa sanders, m.d., New York Times, "He Thought He Had Caught His Co-Worker’s Stomach Bug. Why Were His Symptoms So Different?," 3 Aug. 2017
A brief tongue-in-cheek film depicting Lamar as Kung Fu Kenny set the tone for the corresponding tour.

— bill brownlee,, kansascity, "Kendrick Lamar’s Damn tour brings bangers to the Sprint Center," 1 Aug. 2017
At a certain point, their patience had to break from the strain of turning the other cheek—and therefore looking weak.

— julia ioffe, The Atlantic, "Vladimir Putin to America: You've Let Me Down," 31 July 2017
The former on-screen couple, portrayed by Alisha Boe and Brandon Flynn, is pictured in a cutout photo of Justin kissing Jessica on the cheek.

— de elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Fans React After '13 Reasons Why' Shares a Photo of Jessica and Justin," 20 July 2017
So when a 16-year-old and 17-year-old claimed to have bought their first house together in a tongue-in-cheek tweet, the internet reacted very intensely.

— sophie hirsh, Teen Vogue, "These Teens Became a Meme After Pretending They Bought a House," 20 July 2017
The woman had bruises and swelling on her left cheek, eye, arm and wrist, bruises on both knees and a scratch on her neck.

— ruth ann krause, Post-Tribune, "Six years for Hammond man in robbery, theft," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cheek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cheek

Middle English cheke, from Old English cēace; akin to Middle Low German kāke jawbone

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

cheek Synonyms

Synonyms

backchat, back talk, impertinence, impudence, insolence, mouth, sass, sauce

Near Antonyms

civility, cordiality, courtesy, diplomacy, politeness, tactfulness; consideration, gallantry, gentility, graciousness, smoothness, suaveness, suavity; deference, respect; affability

Synonym Discussion of cheek

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness. temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

- had the temerity to refuse

audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

- an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

- admired for her hardihood

effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

- outraged at his effrontery

nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

- the nerve of that guy
- has the cheek to call herself a singer
- had the gall to demand proof
- the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

cheek

verb

Definition of cheek

transitive verb

chiefly British

:to speak rudely or impudently to

Recent Examples of cheek from the Web

The twins relax and hug each other, cheek pressed to cheek.

— andrea simakis, cleveland.com, "When love and loss are multiplied - remembering a brother at Twins Days: Andrea Simakis," 13 Aug. 2017
Learn about the history of some of your favorite brands, what makes champagne, well, champagne, and leave a little rosy-cheeked after a delightful tasting.

— christina liao, Vogue, "Why You Should Go to Champagne, France—And All the Houses You Should Visit," 31 July 2017
On the deck of his trawler, Adam Stanwood—a barrel-chested, apple-cheeked fisherman in his 40s—uncovers a black plastic tray about two-and-a-half feet by one-and-a-half.

— National Geographic, "Why Smuggling of This Ocean Creature May Skyrocket," 2 June 2017

First Known Use of cheek

1840

CHEEK Defined for English Language Learners

cheek

noun

Definition of cheek for English Language Learners

: the part of the face that is below the eye and to the side of the nose and mouth
: an attitude or way of behaving that is rude and does not show proper respect
: one of the two parts of the body that a person sits on

CHEEK Defined for Kids

cheek

noun \ ˈchēk \

Definition of cheek for Students

1 :the side of the face below the eye and above and to the side of the mouth

2 :disrespectful speech or behavior

He was punished for his cheek.

Medical Dictionary

cheek

noun \ ˈchēk \

medical Definition of cheek

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 :buttock 1

cheek

transitive verb

medical Definition of cheek

: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, 12 July 2000