as in glared
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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Recent Examples of frowned
These are values that Allen says are unfortunately frowned upon in our hypermasculine culture.
—
wendy Wisner, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Alice’s father is a British government official high in the ranks of Bombay society so her friendship with film star Rochana is frowned on by her strict mother.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Historically, Emily Post frowned on the practice.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Once upon a time, selfies with members of the royal family used to be frowned upon—but that rule has relaxed as royals modernize with the times and technology.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Eating on the London Underground is usually frowned upon, but one of the city’s most unusual dining experiences lies at the northern end of the Victoria tube line inside a decommissioned train carriage.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Historically, archaeologists have wondered about this tradition, often frowned upon by Western audiences.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
The group is frowned upon by the Orthodox community, and was not mentioned in the biographical information put out in the mayor’s announcement.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Referencing hobbies, especially more niche ones, might be frowned upon in more straitlaced sectors but may help your case in a more creative industry.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
wendy Wisner, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Alice’s father is a British government official high in the ranks of Bombay society so her friendship with film star Rochana is frowned on by her strict mother.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Historically, Emily Post frowned on the practice.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Once upon a time, selfies with members of the royal family used to be frowned upon—but that rule has relaxed as royals modernize with the times and technology.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Eating on the London Underground is usually frowned upon, but one of the city’s most unusual dining experiences lies at the northern end of the Victoria tube line inside a decommissioned train carriage.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
Historically, archaeologists have wondered about this tradition, often frowned upon by Western audiences.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
The group is frowned upon by the Orthodox community, and was not mentioned in the biographical information put out in the mayor’s announcement.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Referencing hobbies, especially more niche ones, might be frowned upon in more straitlaced sectors but may help your case in a more creative industry.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowned
Verb
-
From the front passenger seat, Orlando businessman Jimmy Hewitt turned around and glared at Williams.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Jokić glared at Williams before the two were eventually separated.—
Mike Prada,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Those that attended mostly sat and scowled.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Another line of attack likens the show to when bachelorette parties invade gay bars — a practice frequently scowled upon by gay patrons.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But now students really stared.—
Deanna Kizis,
Vanity Fair,
4 Mar. 2026
-
One morning this fall, on a stubbly brown field in Boulder, a glider pilot named Dan Swenson stared up at the sky and shook his head.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frowned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowned. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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