faces 1 of 2

Definition of facesnext
present tense third-person singular of face
1
as in fronts
to stand or sit with the face or front toward the house faces the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
4
as in encounters
to enter into contest or conflict with the Boston Red Sox were eager to face their traditional rivals, the Yankees, in the play-offs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

faces

2 of 2

noun

plural of face
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in facades
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
as in expressions
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
7

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 faces
Verb
The designation has since been renewed multiple times as the country faces a host of crises, including widespread violence by armed gangs, food insecurity, displacement and a leadership vacuum after the president was assassinated in 2021. Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 As is customary when any White House official faces heat, discussion of potential replacements has been rampant. Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026 The 49-year-old defendant faces a minimum of 25 years in prison. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026 Moving forward, the tourism industry faces a shifting list of challenges. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026 Rather, Sophie is a hard worker and dedicated employee who faces the consequences of her actions head-on. Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026 Lopez’s mother, Enedina Lopez, faces deportation, Lopez told the USA TODAY Network. Paris Barraza, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026 The mother also faces a set of over 20 state charges in Alabama. Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026 Taras also faces a state charge stemming from his visit to an elementary school attended by his son, in violation of a court order. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
Women adorned their hair in ribbons and men wore Dodgers caps to shield their faces from the sun, the crowd representing an array of identities that make up Los Angeles. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026 The Los Angeles Police Department won't enforce a California directive banning federal immigration agents from wearing masks or hiding their faces while conducting operations in the state. Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026 Many agents conceal their faces and operate without body cameras. Binaifer Nowrojee, Time, 30 Jan. 2026 Kane has been one of the faces of American hockey since being taken with the first pick in the 2007 draft by Chicago. CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026 On Christmas Day 1989, the thermometer dropped to 30 degrees at Miami International Airport and snow flurries tickled upturned faces in Tampa and Sarasota. Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026 Krishnamurthy attributes the lack of new, consistently successful faces in rap partly to a lack of industry investment. Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026 The four episodes feature lots of returning cast members and new faces, but fans of Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley), the viscount and viscountess, will be disheartened to learn that the couple doesn’t make an appearance in part one. Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Meet new faces, see new places. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faces
Verb
  • Ketchum, a native of Oregon who now lives in the Idaho capital, fronts the Train Robbers and plays rhythm guitar.
    Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The nonprofit, which recently developed Orlando’s Packing District and has deep pockets, could bring transformative development to the 117 acres that fronts Interstate 4 and serves as a gateway to the town.
    Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Enoch confronts the celestial hosts, all wearing capes of swastika red under an oppressive horizon of jutting lightning and glaring orange mountains.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The darkly comedic drama confronts reality, privacy, and the delusions fueling our ever-changing world.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Yet despite their impressive size, encounters with these enigmas remain exceedingly rare due to the myriad of challenges of studying deep-sea sharks.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Lurker, written and directed by Alex Russell (Beef, The Bear), is a psychological thriller that follows an introverted 20-something retail clerk, Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), who encounters Oliver (Archie Madekwe), a popular and charismatic musician.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Everyone followed a similar sartorial rhythm, in sheer looks, black sparkles, and some cool-toned mint.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Honda has also generated a lot of buzz with its new CB1000F homage (below) to the beloved CB750F from the 1980s, and many of Harley-Davidson’s models carry on the looks and stance of models stretching back to the 1950s.
    William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Around the ship When embarking, guests are first greeted by the 323-foot-long Galleria Grandiosa, a European-style promenade with brick facades and stone-looking archways and columns.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
  • International artists from Amsterdam, Nepal and Australia paint alongside locals, transforming concrete facades into an open-air gallery visible from the freeway.
    Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Ask anyone in Teahupo’o about that thing, and expect grimaces and shaking heads.
    Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 July 2024
Noun
  • Very cold air already in place will allow snow to accumulate quickly across the region, sticking to roads, bridges and untreated surfaces with little melting.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Desert landscapes and fun cowboy-esque decor dotted the walls and surfaces; a queen-size Murphy bed masquerading as a barn door provided ample sleeping options.
    Asonta Benetti, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Some restaurants are finite expressions of their time and place.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In the mix, too, are the many shorter and more personal expressions around the event.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Faces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faces. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on faces

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!