save face
idiom
: to avoid having other people lose respect for oneself
He tried to save face by working overtime.
Examples of save face in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The family is trying to save face by burying him quickly, and preventing any investigation into his possible murder.
—
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Golden State, meanwhile, can possibly tough out a Play-In run and save face in a quasi-competitive first-round series.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The two exchanged words afterward, Jeudy trying to save face on a day Gonzalez had taken his soul.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
At this point, the Americans will more than likely be looking to save face.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for save face
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Golden State, meanwhile, can possibly tough out a Play-In run and save face in a quasi-competitive first-round series.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The two exchanged words afterward, Jeudy trying to save face on a day Gonzalez had taken his soul.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
At this point, the Americans will more than likely be looking to save face.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for save face
Cite this Entry
“Save face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/save%20face. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
