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

The dining room is starting to show signs of a facelift, with lush plants punctuating the room. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025

After Kylie spotlighted Fisher's work, Kris also shared that Fisher was the doctor behind a previous facelift of hers. —Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 11 June 2025

Several makeovers have substantially changed the vehicle, including Volvo’s second facelift to the three-row SUV in September 2024. —James Raia, Mercury News, 25 May 2025

Henry Hartley’s Goodison Park design had helped make Everton one of the pre-eminent clubs but the facelift Leitch provided for Anfield in 1906 meant their city rivals were threatening to overtake them. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 May 2025

Beyond the big projects, the grant also funded improvements including fresh landscaping, new sound-delay speakers, stage painting, as well facelifts to all the exterior concessions and merch stands, as well as the restrooms. —Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2025

After receiving a transformative grant from the city’s Department of Planning and Development to refurbish its space, Intuit took its facelift as an opportunity to rebrand. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025

The procedures listed include breast augmentations, tummy tucks and yes, facelifts whether that be mini (short scar) facelifts or full facelifts, both of which address signs of aging like sagging skin, loose jowls and creases. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 23 May 2025

Fresh Face Photograph: Google Android is getting a facelift with a new design language called Material 3 Expressive, and the emphasis this time is on personalization. —Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 13 May 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