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
John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
Instead, her countenance is ambiguous — stern, perhaps capable of cruelty, but not without a hint of kindness, as viewers have told him.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
But Israel has refused to countenance any Hamas control in Gaza, while Hamas has shown little appetite for disbanding its battalions of armed fighters or sending its Gaza leaders into exile.
—Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for countenance
Noun
Now, van der Heyden is in his early seventies with a stern, serious countenance that belies a life lived with tremendous joy and adventure.
—John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
Instead, her countenance is ambiguous — stern, perhaps capable of cruelty, but not without a hint of kindness, as viewers have told him.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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
But Israel has refused to countenance any Hamas control in Gaza, while Hamas has shown little appetite for disbanding its battalions of armed fighters or sending its Gaza leaders into exile.
—Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for countenance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countenance
Noun
-
The signs and costumes were the real show, ranging from clever wordplay and depictions of President Donald Trump as a dictator, to profane expressions calling for an end to ICE raids that had been conducted in the city for about a week prior.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
-
And with more federal enforcement high alert across the nation, the likelihood of stiffer charges awaits those who cross the line from free expression to violence, theft, and civil disorder.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
But his face was on camera, and law enforcement databases pointed investigators to Abston, the affidavit states.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
20 June 2025
-
As Shildt came marching across the field, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts raced out of his dugout, and the two managers were face to face for a moment before being pulled away from each other.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Charles took over offensively after the heated moment with 11 points in the third quarter alone, but the rest of the team struggled to maintain composure at either end.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2025
-
That’s a box that Brooks could check Friday as the Griffins take on JSerra in the Division 2 championship at 7 p.m. Brooks, 14, is an attractive pick because of her composure, location and improvement.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
In May, multiple justices recused themselves from deciding whether to accept an appeal involving alleged plagiarism in books published by Penguin Random House.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
-
The site accepts submissions of other pre-AI content sources through its Tumblr page.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
However, violence, destruction and vandalism will not be tolerated in our city and those responsible will be held fully accountable.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
-
Lynch opened up a whole new space where ambiguity wasn’t just tolerated — it was embraced.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Bono is one of the most immediately recognizable rock stars on the planet, thanks to his signature look, which has included shades for decades, but he’s known almost entirely for his musical endeavors with his groupmates in U2.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
The brand also custom-made several looks for Beyoncé’s 13-minute Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day halftime show.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Pascal was absent from the night’s premiere, but Johnson and Evans had a lot of fun with their co-star’s head on a stick, taking turns to hold him aloft and kiss his visage.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
8 June 2025
-
Her glam included makeup with bold brows, lined eyes and a natural visage.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Not in a transactional sense, though synergy toward enduring economic growth would be plenty welcome.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2025
-
Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Judy Garland are back on TV Oct. 12, 2015 The enduring success of the series, set in the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, demonstrates how every new evolution of video consumption can unlock the value of beloved vintage titles.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Countenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countenance. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share