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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 frowned
Levin has not denied paying for story tips, which is frowned upon by traditional journalism outlets.
—
ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Mother frowned, then perked up.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
At many traditional Japanese ryokans and onsen hot springs, tattoos are frowned upon, and tattooed guests will be refused entry.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Williams hadn’t qualified but jumped in as a bandit – a practice that is prohibited now but happened more regularly back then (although it was frowned upon).
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Unlike today, the federal government during the Great Depression frowned upon mega companies and Congress passed the Air Mail Act of 1934.
—John Pacenti, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Often vital when visiting Disneyland, smartphones are largely permitted, but even they are frowned upon on many attractions.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, loud prints and bright colors are frowned upon — something tournament organizers addressed with Jason Day in 2024.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The series followed her through the aftermath of a divorce and an on-again, off-again relationship with Dakota Mortensen, all of which is frowned upon by the Mormon church.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Mother frowned, then perked up.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
At many traditional Japanese ryokans and onsen hot springs, tattoos are frowned upon, and tattooed guests will be refused entry.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Williams hadn’t qualified but jumped in as a bandit – a practice that is prohibited now but happened more regularly back then (although it was frowned upon).
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Unlike today, the federal government during the Great Depression frowned upon mega companies and Congress passed the Air Mail Act of 1934.
—John Pacenti, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Often vital when visiting Disneyland, smartphones are largely permitted, but even they are frowned upon on many attractions.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, loud prints and bright colors are frowned upon — something tournament organizers addressed with Jason Day in 2024.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The series followed her through the aftermath of a divorce and an on-again, off-again relationship with Dakota Mortensen, all of which is frowned upon by the Mormon church.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowned
Verb
-
As Soler began walking toward the mound, López held up his hands as the two glared at each other before both started throwing punches.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As Soler began walking toward the mound, López held up his hands and the two glared at each other before both started throwing punches.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 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
-
For a few seconds, everyone at Progressive Field — players, umpires, fans, cotton candy vendors — stared at the video board, awaiting the handy diagram that would determine whether the Cleveland Guardians’ lead was in jeopardy.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Chasing Horse, wearing his navy blue Clark County Detention Center uniform, stared straight ahead as victims read their statements.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frowned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowned. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
