po-faced

adjective

ˈpō-ˌfāst How to pronounce po-faced (audio)
Definition of po-facednext
British
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner we rarely invite her to our parties because she's always so po-faced

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for po-faced
  1. solemn
  2. serious
  3. stern
  4. humorless
  5. earnest
Adjective
  • For those seeking a solemn moment of reflection or a way to give back, here’s a guide to area events commemorating 9/11’s 25th anniversary, running from Wednesday through the weekend.
    — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 8 Sep. 2026
  • This year, Haitians are marching under more solemn circumstances than in prior years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • Which brings us to a question no serious Oilers fan would have entertained before the Savoie news.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In the years that followed, Ortiz was involved in at least two more serious car accidents.
    — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of serious
Adjective
  • Khan himself stars as the outwardly stern but inwardly soft-hearted Etienne, who heads up the dozen-strong medical team.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The almost 1,100-foot-long warship was covered in rust from bow to stern.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Walker joins as the imposing, entitled and humorless Peter Van Laar III, the wealthy heir to the Van Laar estate, whose behavior is a struggle for both his wife, Alice, and 13-year-old daughter.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 May 2026
  • Patton, a notoriously tough and humorless commander, considered Willy and Joe to be a threat to discipline and morale — quite the opposite of the way many fans saw them.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Definition of humorless
Adjective
  • Twice that day, Issa hears about earnest stuff Anton said to win voters over to Paul Baker’s side.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Amid a national cinema that has become internationally recognized for perverse plotting and deadpan absurdism, writer-director Alexis Alexiou‘s third feature stands out for its stark storytelling and earnest emotional intensity.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of earnest
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.

Browse Nearby Words

poets laureate
po-faced
pogrom
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Cite this Entry

“Po-faced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/po-faced. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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