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

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2
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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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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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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
Jenkinson, who faces two counts, is accused of threatening Andrew on Wednesday and another man on Tuesday. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026 Price, who has represented the district since 2013, faces a dozen felony charges, including grand theft by embezzlement of public funds, conflict of interest and perjury. Teresa Liu, Daily News, 9 May 2026 Bianco also faces scrutiny for seizing more than 650,000 election ballots in what critics call a baseless fraud investigation. Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026 District 1 faces an imbalance of jobs and housing, making the region commuter-heavy and leading to its own slate of issues. Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 9 May 2026 Usually, mom faces rain and cool temperatures on the big day. Tammie Souza, CBS News, 9 May 2026 Most agree that Baldoni, meanwhile, faces a tougher road back. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 May 2026 Still, the segment faces challenges. Sydney Goh, CNBC, 9 May 2026 This number is expected to increase as the baby boomer generation ages and faces the limitations of our current health and social services systems. Kate Perepezko, The Conversation, 8 May 2026
Noun
But sheep can tell human faces apart. Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 9 May 2026 Some demonstrators got in several lawmakers' faces. Terry Collins, USA Today, 8 May 2026 The lawsuit, which accuses Cameron of using a performer’s image without permission, comes amid concerns about the legal ownership of actors’ faces. Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 8 May 2026 The show has also added three new faces — one series regular and two recurring — to its cast. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 May 2026 Large metal trays and sieves were set out, and the oldest women, their faces marked with Amazigh tattoos, took their place around them, sleeves pushed back, hands already dusted with semolina. Boutheina Ben Salem, Vogue, 8 May 2026 The emotional weight of the presentation was already apparent on the faces of the seven trustees, superintendent and student board member behind the dais. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026 Unlike with faces, viewers don’t judge hands by conventional beauty standards, Haendel said. Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026 Aside from the expansion franchises, the team with the most fresh faces is the Connecticut Sun, with just four returnees from the 2025 roster. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faces
Verb
  • Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach fronts both the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, providing a variety of experiences for family beach vacations (even in the cooler fall months).
    Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Hart also is the Musical Director for the onscreen band in Season 3 which Lestat fronts.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The dinner scene with Niall’s mum, Lori (Neve McIntosh), and Ruben’s mum, Maura (Marianne McIvor) — when Joanna confronts them over Ruben’s behaviour — is both chilling and cathartic.
    K.J. Yossman, Variety, 8 May 2026
  • During a particularly tense visit to his Florida home in her early 20s, Konkle confronts her dad about being inappropriate with her and other female friends.
    Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • People dispense advice to our heroine of the kind that one encounters in stories properly poised on the cusp of life.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Given the complaint’s estimate that Temu is responsible for over 10,000 spam emails to Californians each year, the company encounters considerable potential liability in a state that is a primary battleground for digital privacy rights.
    Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Standing next to my thirteen-year-old brother, Andreas, who did inherit our mother’s good looks, only seemed to amplify my ugliness.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
  • My cocktail, Jesus Can’t Hit a Curveball, was decidedly undramatic in the looks department, but its combination of gin, ginger, celery and serrano peppers was phenomenally vegetal and refreshing.
    Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Historic preservation is often dismissed as nostalgia, the hobby of people who prefer old facades to modern needs.
    Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 6 May 2026
  • But the school occupies its own campus, Schwarzman College, modeled on the individual venues at Harvard and Oxford, boasting their own historic facades, where students live and dine.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 May 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
  • Exposure to snow, ice and salt can weaken materials, loosen boards and create uneven surfaces.
    Angie Hicks, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
  • Here, the Sport+ drive mode does a commendable job of keeping the transmission in the meaty parts of the powerband, while dialing the dampers back to Sport achieves the right balance of body control and compliance on these less-than-perfect road surfaces.
    Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • But most are just expressions of thanks for all the good music.
    Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
  • Lots of promises and expressions of support, but tell me true, who’s in the deal?
    Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Faces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faces. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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