facelift

noun

ˈfās-ˌlift 

variants or face lift or face-lift

plural facelifts or face lifts or face-lifts

1

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)

[Robert] Redford's publicist of 33 years, Lois Smith, denies her client has had any sort of facelift, eye job or chemical peel. "He's never, never, never had cosmetic surgery," she says.

—People Weekly

Many face lifts last between five and 10 years, but the procedure can cause hematomas, bleeding and nerve damage …

—Mary Murphy

Technically, a face-lift "lifts" both the face and the neck, and many plastic surgeons believe the neck shows the more dramatic improvement.

—Vogue

2

: an alteration, restoration, or restyling (as of a building) intended especially to modernize

The facelift was intended to return the 95-year-old hall's acclaimed acoustics to original purity …

—US News & World Report

Over time, the building was given a $15 million face lift, which created a new entrance on Fifth Avenue, subdued but plush interiors and escalators.

—Carrie Donovan

All 48 models from kids bikes to $3,000 racing bikes were redesigned … and each got a color and graphics face-lift.

—Laura Loro

facelift transitive verb

or face-lift or less commonly face lift

facelifted or face-lifted also face lifted; facelifting or face-lifting also face lifting; facelifts or face-lifts also face lifts

… said she would like to add more parking and continue to work on facelifting the venue.

—Dean Manning

… a former vaudeville palace recently face-lifted into a glittering performing arts center.

—Priit Vesilind

Examples of facelift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fresh Paint Painting your home’s front door, fence, and other exterior features is often the easiest way to give your home a facelift. —Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2024

This is not a 65-year-old, pull-it-tight facelift patient. —Genevieve Monsma, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024

Separately, the National Park Service is launching a $17.7 million project to give the Beaux-Arts building’s exterior a facelift. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024

In the complaint, obtained by PEOPLE, Janssen, 61, alleges that Beador, 59, turned to him for financial support in early 2022, borrowing $40,000 via wire transfer on Jan. 23, 2022 for a facelift procedure. —Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024

This is because facelift procedures can also pull back the beard hairs towards the incision points. —Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024

There are definite advantages to getting a facelift younger. —Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024

All new Studebaker models, except Avanti, were facelifts from the 1953 model. —David Krumboltz, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Earlier this week, Corcoran made another revelation on TikTok and shared with her followers that her facelift is the most expensive thing about her appearance. —Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

face-lift

noun

ˈfā-ˌslift

1

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove defects and imperfections (as wrinkles or sagging skin)

2

: an alteration, restoration, or remodeling (as of a building) intended especially to make more modern

face-lift verb

Medical Definition

facelift

noun

face·​lift

variants or face lift or face-lift

ˈfā-ˌslift 

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)

called also rhytidectomy

facelift transitive verb

or face-lift also face lift