cheek

1 of 2

noun

ˈchēk 

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 sense 1

cheekful

ˈchēk-ˌfu̇l 

noun

cheek

2 of 2

verb

cheeked; cheeking; cheeks

transitive verb

chiefly British

: to speak rudely or impudently to

Synonyms of cheek

Noun

• mouth
• disrespect
• sass
• impudence
• insolence
• back talk

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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

Noun

In one image, a young sitter with the Arabic word for ‘justice’ painted on her cheek gazes sensuously into the camera, while flooding the frame with wafts of smoke. — Michael-Oliver Harding, CNN Money, 28 July 2026

The babies looked so similar that one of the fathers in the group, who happened to be a microbiology professor, offered to swab their cheeks, take a sample and run a DNA test. — Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026

His feeding tube and oxygen cannula rested against his cheek. — Danielle Stephens, USA Today, 26 July 2026

In a new photo shared to Instagram Stories, Gomez posed with Blanco kissing her cheek on a sandy beach under the moon. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 26 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cheek

• cheek by jowl
• cheek to cheek
• cheek tooth
• tongue-in-cheek
• turn the other cheek
• with (one's) tongue in (one's) cheek

Rhymes for cheek

• beak
• beek
• bleak
• chic
• clique
• creak
• creek
• eke
• freak
• geek
• greek
• leak

Kids Definition

cheek

noun

ˈchēk

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 noun

ˈchēk

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 sense 1

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