faces 1 of 2

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
But the technology still faces hurdles, experts said, and labor groups including the Teamsters are raising alarms over safety and availability of jobs. Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026 Balogun is expected to join today’s lineup as the team faces Australia at Seattle Stadium this afternoon. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 June 2026 Sometimes judges don’t have a full picture of the risks a victim faces, like an abuser’s access to weapons and prior threats to kill, and release men arrested on domestic violence charges quickly, with little to keep them away from the women they’re accused of hurting. Sara-James Ranta, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026 Espaillat faces uptown fight of his life Espaillat has won reelection five times with barely a whimper of opposition in the district stretching from Harlem to Inwood and a slice of the Bronx. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 20 June 2026 This cautious tone suggests Steele could miss most, or even all, of the current season if his recovery faces further delays, a significant blow to the team's postseason aspirations. Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 Saturday is a Gridlock Alert Day in New York City as Brazil faces Morocco in the first FIFA Men's World Cup match in New Jersey. Mark Prussin, CBS News, 13 June 2026 Numerous creators, meanwhile, insist these channels need human input — and sometimes faces — to thrive. Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2026 The first of six matches at Levi’s Stadium begins at noon Saturday, when Qatar faces Switzerland to kick off action on the San Francisco 49ers’ home field. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Noun
This issue could be one Denver faces for years to come. Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Earlier, Tracy was talking about being willing to expose your foibles as an actor and to let these people who don’t have to put their faces on-camera use them. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 June 2026 Like photos with all the faces ripped out. Literary Hub, 19 June 2026 The two made silly faces for the camera while dressed in all-black costumes in this shot Sweeney shared to her Instagram Stories. Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026 Hugh and Elijah got their faces buried in the mud. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026 Other famous faces to grace the royal procession in the past include Dame Helen Mirren in 2008 and 2018, David Beckham in 2018, Demi Moore in 2019 and 2023, and Elizabeth Hurley in 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2024. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 18 June 2026 San Jose may have lucked into adding one of the faces of women’s hockey in its franchise’s inaugural year. Marisa Ingemi, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 While fresh faces in the locker room bring a lot of good, fielding a young team is never easy. Ava Dicecca, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faces
Verb
  • The Sphere, a longtime vision for the mogul (who fronts his own band JD and the Straight Shot), had launched with concert experiences from the likes of U2, the Eagles, Dead & Company, Backstreet Boys and Metallica.
    Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • The magnetic Sadio Mané fronts his country with pride and punchiness.
    Christopher Hamill, New York Times, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The pressure to prove yourself is on when the Leo moon confronts Mars.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 18 June 2026
  • The fifth installment confronts the all-too-real reality that kids would rather play with screens than action figures.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The plastic that encases laundry pods dissolves and rinses out with the excess water.
    Katelyn Chef, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
  • The faux hair encases her locs, allowing the blonde to be the focal point of the look.
    Larry Stansbury, InStyle, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • There are also some wild dragons in Westeros like the one Rhaena (Daemon’s daughter, Baela’s sister) encounters in the Vale called Sheepstealer.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • If not, dropped points would elevate Switzerland’s stress level ahead of the final group stage match against Canada on June 24 in Vancouver, while Bosnia and Herzegovina encounters Qatar in Seattle.
    Josh Gross, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • When most pieces share a palette, almost any top works with almost any bottom, so a dozen items can cover dozens of looks.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 June 2026
  • Seven different looks rotate throughout the World Cup season, each one conceived by designer Ricardo Zuccolini, with Diana Dubinsky and her team at Wynwood studio’s DesignLab22 swathing the sea nymphs in capes inspired by FIFA teams’ country colors.
    Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Narrow lanes wind past jewelry shops, rum bars and pastel facades.
    David Dickstein, Oc Register, 17 June 2026
  • In Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, a small Section 8 housing community of 17 buildings stands out for its bright blue facades.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • And yet, the wry grimaces that followed said the quiet part out loud.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In the video, Claffey tries to move Ansell away from the subject and grimaces at the camera when his costar seems to say a little too much.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The virus can spread through coughing and sneezing — hanging in the air and living on surfaces for hours after an infected person has left a room.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • The visible gap for the door mechanism running across the rear fenders is unfortunate, especially since more basic minivans showcase clean surfaces there.
    Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Faces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faces. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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