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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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

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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
Saturday is a Gridlock Alert Day in New York City as Panama faces England in the FIFA Men's World Cup in New Jersey. Mark Prussin, CBS News, 27 June 2026 Ultimately, healthcare faces crucial decisions regarding computing power, which is becoming as vital as electricity for modern medicine. Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 Qassem’s comments signal that the effort to end Israel’s war in Lebanon faces fierce resistance, a move that could derail the United States’ temporary ceasefire with Iran. Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2026 In the Democratic primary, Jamie Davis, a northeast Louisiana crop farmer, faces Gary Crockett, a Navy veteran and business executive. ABC News, 27 June 2026 But, the analyst added, the company faces a cascade of issues. Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 27 June 2026 McKenna still faces a misdemeanor simple assault charge, still faces a misdemeanor simple assault charge, along with charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026 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
Noun
Big names and big faces on television are bound to have their critics. Jay Stahl, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Every round, both losing players have to put stickers on their faces. Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 30 June 2026 We’re told to do weight-bearing exercise and load up on protein to protect our bones—but most of us never think about that loss showing up in our faces. Caitlin Kiernan, Flow Space, 30 June 2026 Back home that night, dues paid to god, the women slathered their faces with turmeric cream and went to bed, bitter-smelling, sorry for themselves on that night as every night. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Ultimately, Williams went on to lose the match in three sets to Australian Maya Joint 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3, but the manner of the defeat put a smile on everyone’s faces. Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 June 2026 Other famous faces who have lent their celebrity to viral SKIMS ads include, but are not limited to, Kardashian herself, Sabrina Carpenter, Usher, Cardi B, and Charli XCX. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 During his seven big-league seasons with the organization, the star shortstop became one of the faces of the franchise, helping lead the club through multiple postseason appearances while earning a pair of All-Star selections. Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 The bigger challenge QuEra faces will be that these future machines require getting the error rates of the hardware qubits down dramatically. John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 29 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
  • Confidence wavers when the sun confronts Neptune.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Based on the popular Quebec comic book created by Samuel Parent and commissioned by and produced in collaboration with Télé-Québec, the series, aimed at 6 to 9-year-olds, follows the adventures of a fearless kid who confronts monsters that haunt children in the darkness of night.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 22 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
  • In the upcoming film, Couture, the 51-year-old actress plays Maxine Walker, a filmmaker who encounters a romantic partner in Paris around the time of her breast cancer diagnosis.
    Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • This real-life event, along with her desire for more Black representation in the genre, shaped the book's protagonist, Harmony Roundtree, a young Black girl who encounters a ghost in Savannah and gets pulled into a mystery.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Scroll on for the ultimate breakdown and get inspired to put your spin on these looks for your next getaway.
    Isis Briones, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2026
  • While traditional tailoring and minimalist silhouettes dominated the red carpet, prospects masterfully personalized their looks.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • The resulting films were projected on building facades around the community.
    Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
  • Video on Venezuelan state television showed buildings missing facades, tilted on their foundations.
    Osmary Hernández, CNN Money, 27 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
  • If a sensitive topic surfaces, state your needs and invite theirs while keeping the tone steady and respectful.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
  • Paul walks the cavern’s polished concrete floor, absorbs its hum, grazes its plastic surfaces with his fingertips.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Faces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faces. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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