frowning 1 of 2

frowning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of frown
as in glaring
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

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 frowning
Adjective
Balogun then looked over at a frowning Ream, who had just finished urging his teammates to be sure to stop and smell the flowers along this World Cup journey. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Verb
This focuses readers on the all-black uniforms of the veiled pupils, who—in a long frame at the center of the page—sit between the looming, frowning teacher on the right and Marji on the left, who stands up to explain that her uncle was executed by the Islamic regime. Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida. Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026 Hubbard posted an image of herself with a disgusted look on her face from earlier in Season 10, while Dillard shared a photo of himself frowning, also from a scene in the show. Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026 Subscribers and consumer advocates may be frowning on Netflix’s latest price hikes, but Wall Street is celebrating the move. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026 Many of the drawings show faces, and most of the faces are frowning. Mckenzie Funk, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2026 The men stood frowning at each other and then back at Adi until the one without the gun broke into croaks of laughter. Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 Smiling can actually lift your mood, while frowning can lower it. Valerie Monroe, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026 One mask depicts a frowning hobo with a 5 o'clock shadow that represents the aforementioned vagrant. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowning
Adjective
  • The video, which has garnered over 70,000 views as of Wednesday, opens with a scowling Donalds, sitting behind the governor’s desk one year into his hypothetical first term.
    Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The glaring issue in England’s group stage performance stems from the drop-off in goal production from the opener to the final two matches.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
  • Klingebiel believes that some cuts to development may be appropriate, if all federal budgets (with the glaring exception of defense) are also tightening their belts.
    Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • Sad, sullen younger half-brother Zach (Joe Anders), unrecovered from a social media misstep, is acting more strangely than teenage boys usually do.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Now, in a more intimate setting, the sullen and sometimes-sarcastic shadings of this longtime singer-songwriter should hark back to Folds’ fledgling days on the alt-music scene.
    David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • In Taiwan, a student sitting for an entrance exam for a top medical school was discovered wearing smart glasses after proctors noticed the student staring oddly at the test, leading to an inspection that revealed the frame was emitting heat.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • Three stories, three separate sets of receipts, with one through line worth staring at until a clearer view emerges.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • For an olive or medium complexion, a neutral contour shade (neither cool nor warm) will avoid an ashy gray hue.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 June 2026
  • She was found face down in her bedroom, wearing a grey tank top and nude from the waist down.
    Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026

Cite this Entry

“Frowning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowning. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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