as in scowling
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
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
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Recent Examples of frowning
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
Derek Hinkey’s character, the Shoshone warrior Red Feather, is almost always frowning at white settlers, looking undeniably foreboding with his face slathered in black paint and galloping on horseback into battle.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Neither smiling nor frowning, her gaze seems one of purpose.
—Jennifer Brett, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Nov. 2025
The film opens with a montage of nameless women across different eras and places smiling invitingly toward the camera, then frowning and glaring at it, and finally screaming while drenched in blood.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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
Derek Hinkey’s character, the Shoshone warrior Red Feather, is almost always frowning at white settlers, looking undeniably foreboding with his face slathered in black paint and galloping on horseback into battle.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Neither smiling nor frowning, her gaze seems one of purpose.
—Jennifer Brett, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Nov. 2025
The film opens with a montage of nameless women across different eras and places smiling invitingly toward the camera, then frowning and glaring at it, and finally screaming while drenched in blood.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowning
Verb
-
Grejo sank scowling back into his chair as though stung by Adi’s answer.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Their head coach, Curt Cignetti, perpetually scowling beneath his 1950s crew cut, is fuel for countless memes.—
Keith O’Brien,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The hypocrisy is glaring, of course.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
6 Feb. 2026
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The outcome is the latest warning sign ‒ and the most glaring to date ‒ of a potential blue wave during the 2026 midterms as Democrats look to take control of the House and Senate.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When Ali Ansari was 12, living with his family in a single room at his aunt’s house in Woodland Hills, his immigrant mother told him to stop wasting time staring at his phone and try making money with it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Shortly thereafter, the two women heard a loud bang and exited the bedroom to find Toth lying on the kitchen floor and staring blankly at the ceiling, the report said.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
My father was also sullen from the vodka, and after grumbling some would fall asleep on his grungy sleeper berth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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And Venter’s fiery and edgy Jessie May is sullen, controlling and cruel.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Al-Bakoush, 58, appeared Friday afternoon in federal court in Washington, wearing a gray hoodie and using a wheelchair.—
ERIC TUCKER,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
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Rocky, meanwhile, wore a black double-breasted coat with a tie-waist, a spotty gray-blue shirt and coordinating patterned tie, navy slacks, square toe black loafers, a large Bottega Veneta tote, and Ray-Bans.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frowning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frowning. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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