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Definition of facenext
1
as in to front
to stand or sit with the face or front toward the house faces the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean

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as in to encounter
to enter into contest or conflict with the Boston Red Sox were eager to face their traditional rivals, the Yankees, in the play-offs

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1
as in looks
the front part of the head the criminal hid his face from the news cameras as he slumped into the patrol car

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2
as in front
a forward part or surface the face of the store building has been altered many times over the years to meet changing tastes and needs

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3
as in frown
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval it's rude to make a face when your dinner hostess offers you broccoli

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4
as in exterior
an outer part or layer a much-needed sandblasting revealed that the face of the old stone church is actually a pinkish granite

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5
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling a rainy day is no excuse for just moping around with a long face, so let's do something

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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 face
Verb
However, those shipments are now facing growing risks from Houthi attacks. Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 The plan is the latest of a number of efforts to compensate people for using less water as the West faces an escalating water crisis. Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
Bigger stadiums, louder crowds, your face broadcast on millions of televisions around the country. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026 Nicole says Leo’s face is still up on posters around Browning. Edie Peffley, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for face
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face
Verb
  • Renderings show a larger hotel building fronted along Northeast 23rd Street while a smaller boutique hotel lines the property along North Main Street.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Hansard achieved international fame starring in the 2007 drama Once and fronted the rock band the Frames and the duo Swell Season.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The ladies all get on a yacht and are confronted with cardboard cutouts of them in their very first season.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • As states confront rising electricity demand and growing concerns about affordability, community solar offers one practical way to expand energy options while delivering benefits to households and local communities.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Seed Studio Landscape Design used medium-width horizontal panels on the privacy fencing of this elegant backyard grill space and layered on thinner wood slats in the same warm tone to clad the outdoor kitchen.
    Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The same went for the team’s suggestion to clad the powder room in tree bark, a nod to rustic Adirondack camp interiors.
    Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Iraola could even encounter some of the same issues that stumped Slot last season.
    Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Neighbouring Devon should also encounter a high percentage of coverage, while people in Pembrokeshire, Wales, are set to see up to 94% of the sun eclipsed.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • At the 2021 National Book Awards, the Library Science book club founder and her mom captured the cameras with their model looks.
    Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • This green and silver pair is calling my name for cool-girl fall looks.
    Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • One such building—the impressive Art-Nouveau mansion that now houses the Egyptian consulate—sits majestically beside the bay, handsomely showing off its columned façade and ornate wrought-iron railings following a complete restoration in 2010.
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The façade was lighted from below by the exterior lights that specified the building, separated it from the other night buildings.
    Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Lee indulges that emotional ambiguity, the way the pedal steel can blur the distinction between a frown and a smile.
    Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
  • Numbers might be up, but frowns are also up.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Staff quietly hurried to tape falling signage to the walls, troubleshoot the jumbotron and cook burgers and hot dogs as rain seeped through the grated ceilings of the exterior walkways.
    Jaclyn Licht, NPR, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The carry-on, medium, and large suitcase all feature durable hardshell exteriors, TSA locks, and spinner wheels that make weaving through crowded terminals much easier.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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