1
as in expression
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling
a pleasant countenance that puts visitors at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in face
the front part of the head
a fairly pretty countenance
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in composure
evenness of emotions or temper
the EMT's purposeful countenance was in stark contrast to everyone else's hysteria
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to accept
to have a favorable opinion of
I don't countenance such behavior in children of any age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to tolerate
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
countenanced the delays and inconveniences of traveling by air with good grace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of countenance
Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2025
My only tangible evidence was a necklace my mother had left behind—a cameo carved into shell that depicted her countenance.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 May 2025
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
And with Tottenham 16 points clear of the bottom three, there is no more talk of a relegation battle, even if Postecoglou never countenanced that himself.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for countenance
Noun
The agreement did not curtail Iran’s missile program and backing for nonstate actors across the Middle East; Tehran refused to countenance either as part of negotiations.
—Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2025
My only tangible evidence was a necklace my mother had left behind—a cameo carved into shell that depicted her countenance.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
Russia has refused to countenance the idea of European troops on Ukrainian soil, while the U.S. insists that no American troops would be deployed to the country as peacekeepers.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
And with Tottenham 16 points clear of the bottom three, there is no more talk of a relegation battle, even if Postecoglou never countenanced that himself.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for countenance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countenance
Noun
-
There was an expression on his face, something between a smile and a smirk.—
Mona Awad,
New Yorker,
20 July 2025
-
Through gene expression studies, the team determined these proteins were actively produced and regulated – social control molecules secreted through their natural antennae, the spines.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
After getting his start on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, Sandler quickly became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
26 July 2025
-
When Watkins flipped open the visor of his helmet, Donnelly’s face had turned blue.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
Noun
-
The robot's performance matched that of skilled human surgeons, handling unexpected scenarios with composure and precision.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 July 2025
-
Jordan Walsh regains his composure Walsh was whistled for seven personal fouls in the Celtics’ second Summer League game, then was ejected from the third after picking up two technicals in a seven-second span.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
To the local big-game purists, sharks were the stray dogs of the sea, and if Mundus was willing to control the population he was accepted as an eccentric asset to the community.—
Pat Smith,
Outdoor Life,
24 July 2025
-
The Dawg Pound is an iconic part of the Browns franchise and one of the best representations in sports of fans feeling like and being accepted as part of the organization.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Many of our small trees are grafted onto rootstocks that can tolerate our local soil conditions.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
18 July 2025
-
Medicare covers it when tablets are hard to tolerate or ineffective.—
Paula Span,
Miami Herald,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
29 July 2025
-
Here's a look at how hot it's expected to get and how to stay safe.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Adding to the theatrics of his visage, Torres plucked the petals from a single-stemmed rose on the carpet.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
18 July 2025
-
After his coronation at last month’s NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg becomes the fresh-faced visage of the Dallas Mavericks’ surprise reshuffle.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Sportsbooks endured an unusual number of under bets in games that Porter ended up leaving with an injury.—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The second version of the CTS-V would endure in dealerships until 2014, with nearly 20,000 examples ultimately rolling off the line — about twice as many as the first-gen car.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Countenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenance. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share