frown 1 of 2

noun

Definition of frownnext
as in scowl
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval it was clear from the frown on the CEO's face that sales were headed in the wrong direction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frown

2 of 2

verb

ˈfrau̇n How to pronounce frown (audio)
as in to scowl
to look with anger or disapproval the boss just stood there and frowned at his assistant who, once again, was in trouble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 frown
Noun
No smiles, no frowns, no fluctuations of body warmth. — Literary Hub, 8 June 2026 Don’t Kill Reach with External Links Like any business that makes money from advertising, LinkedIn frowns upon directing people away from LinkedIn to another site. — William Arruda, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
Coaches taught the sport, but they were supposed to let the kids run the show during the games, with overzealous parenting frowned on. — Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Turn that frown upside down and turn that three-day weekend into a full week of fun. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frown
  1. scowl
  2. glare
  3. grimace
  4. stare
  5. smirk
Noun
  • For the role, Depp shaved off his signature mustache and goatee, and adopted Scrooge’s signature scowl.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Behind his graying beard, his expression crackled between a scowl and a mad grin.
    — Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of scowl
Verb
  • The only glaring weakness was, once again, the superstar who used to be their strength.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The company partnered with Corning to actually etch a unique texture into the glass itself that is meant to be richer, higher contrast, and less prone to glare than a typical display.
    — David Pierce, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of glare
Noun
  • During his cross-examination, the pain became obvious in McDonald’s grimace.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the fifth inning, Soto fouled a ball off his right leg, eliciting a grimace from him and attention from both an athletic trainer and Green.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of grimace
Verb
  • Walking into a room to do some task or other, they’ll get stuck obsessively staring at the door hinges.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
  • One man, summing up the shock, anger and frustration for everyone, stared straight ahead and at one in particular, gathering up whatever air was left in his lungs and yelled one more f-bomb for good measure.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of stare
Noun
  • Shawn Still explains the smirk in his Fulton County booking photo.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Arnold met her gaze almost instantly across UConn’s five-foot table swarmed with cameras and microphones and returned the smirk.
    — Jake McCreven, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of smirk

Phrases Containing frown

Browse Nearby Words

frowardness
frown
frown (at or on)
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Cite this Entry

“Frown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frown. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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