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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
  • The paper was a propaganda tool, and whatever Grossman may have wished to write, at first all the editors would permit were inspiring, deadly earnest pieces full of generalities.
    — Nick Holdstock, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Gurjar writes from a reflective, earnest place about navigating the two cities—the significance of cultural preservation, and how cooking brought her closer to herself.
    — The Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Sep. 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 16 Sep. 2026.

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