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

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
Ticketmaster also faces a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states. — James Laforge, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 On paper, Boise State football faces one of its easier opponents of the season this weekend. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026 Lander, who received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other progressive Democrats, faces Republican nominee Jennifer Moore in the general election. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 Farwell faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted. — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 The company also faces its Artemis III interim design review and a critical design review for an upcoming landing demonstration mission in 2028. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026 Collins faces a tough reelection fight against Democrat Troy Jackson, whose campaign has gained momentum despite a late start and trails her fundraising by less than $3 million. — Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Prosecutors said Wilcox faces a maximum sentence of 74 years to life in prison. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026 If convicted, Love faces a $250,000 fine and up to 20 years in prison. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
The women wore maroon unitards with subtle puffed sleeves, while Danchig-Waring’s tank unitard featured two faces in profile, each hugging a side of his waist. — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 Lake Mead and Lake Powell are the visible faces of the Southwest’s critical water problem, as the Colorado River — which supplies water to nearly 40 million people — shrinks due to a combination of climate change and human demand. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026 Penalties increase if offenders cover their faces or someone is injured. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 Large swaths of the film are composed of close-ups of people’s faces or hands, giving seemingly mundane exchanges and gestures — say, a moment when Evans, unimpressed with Holmes’s egg-whisking technique, confiscates the bowl — greater weight. — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026 Overwhelmed police forces often failed to intervene as thousands of vandals, many wearing masks and caps that hid their faces, shattered storefront windows and walked off with merchandise. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 The meeting attendees at AP6 had the faces of people accustomed to scrutiny. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 On Monday, the studio released the film’s poster, which can be seen below and shows the stars’ faces stacked vertically. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 And [the American Girl brand] encouraged me to really open it up to new faces and new characters in order to launch her as an adult and show that this is a different time and a different age. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for faces
Verb
  • The model fronts Awe Inspired’s Nocturne campaign for fall 2026, taking on Inanna, Persephone and Medusa across three chapters.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The hotel fronts a pool and a scenic stretch of beach with lounge chairs and umbrellas.
    — Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Seyfried confronts Evans Things turn ugly during that same visit to Evans’ home.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Junhee’s sister confronts Donghwa outright about the foolishness of not taking money from his father.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 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
  • When Jay encounters a giant squid being chased by a mammoth sperm whale, he’s unwittingly entangled in the former’s tentacles and swallowed up in one extended, terrifying sequence.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • An operational problem is resolved before the customer encounters it.
    — Ozan Ozerk, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Ole Miss receivers won against the Tigers in single-high coverage the first half, and continued to do so against two-deep looks in the second half.
    — PJ Green October 17, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This week’s best beauty looks were a little nostalgic and very playful.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • During the Soviet era, these monumental decorative panels appeared at metro stations, sports stadiums, school facades, and on the sides of residential blocks.
    — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Isaias peeled off hotel and condominium rooftops and facades along the Florida Panhandle before charging north Saturday, dishing out torrential rains and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast.
    — Emilie Megnien, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Tommy is already a natural punk with his grimaces, British vocal inflections and wide-eyed expressions behind the drum kit.
    — Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Back at the team bus, the high fives and handshakes wore grimaces.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • The bottom of the walls was damaged; these surfaces are not smooth and easily cleanable.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But a Columbia University research team has found that when water molecules come into contact with plastic surfaces, a key chemical reaction does in fact take place.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Faces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/faces. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster