as in makeup
preparations intended to beautify the face
when I was young, I loved to watch Mom put on her war paint before a fancy evening out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of war paint
This is my war paint.
—
Kelly Boutsalis, refinery29.com, 22 June 2021
My father used to call it war paint.
—Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, 30 Apr. 2021
On stage, drag artist Aphrodite Banks is a femme fatale: Caked in war paint, with a waterfall of braids whipping around her waist, she’s possessed of the white-hot glare and forthright confidence to match her Amazonian height and bearing.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2023
Upon applying war paint-like ash to her face, Teonna fills a pillow case with a literal stack of bibles.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for war paint
Kelly Boutsalis, refinery29.com, 22 June 2021
My father used to call it war paint.
—Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, 30 Apr. 2021
On stage, drag artist Aphrodite Banks is a femme fatale: Caked in war paint, with a waterfall of braids whipping around her waist, she’s possessed of the white-hot glare and forthright confidence to match her Amazonian height and bearing.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2023
Upon applying war paint-like ash to her face, Teonna fills a pillow case with a literal stack of bibles.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for war paint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for war paint
Noun
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On the most recent episode, the animated Noem was shown, among other things, in an ICE orientation video, first in a chair being made up by a makeup crew.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
8 Aug. 2025
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Tyla's makeup artist, Matthew Fishman, definitely deserves a shout-out too, especially for those intense eyes, created with Danessa Myricks colors.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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That is the title of a striking piece of artwork hung high above the London skyline, depicting a brooding photograph of Mikel Arteta marking out something that looked like stream-of-consciousness ideas in black paint.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
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So why not jump aboard the latest paint color craze for an overhaul that’s perfectly on trend?—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“War paint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/war%20paint. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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