facelift

noun

face·​lift 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

The enhancements included a front and rear facelift (grille, headlamps, taillamps, etc.), new lower body panels, and new wheel designs. —Michael Harley, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

The Ioniq 5 and Santa Cruz truck received some enhancements while the Tucson small SUV got a facelift. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

The airport is getting a $45 million facelift under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. —Scott Cohn, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024

Photo : Bentley 2024: So long, W12; welcome, hybrid power Like the second generation, the fourth-gen Continental GT was really more of a facelift of its predecessor than a true new vehicle. —Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2024

Being a facelift, there are some cosmetic changes such as new bumpers and some extra interior bits. —Matthew MacConnell, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Case in point: Way back in 2009, former Orange County Housewife Lynne Curtin gets a facelift in the same episode that sees her daughter getting a rhinoplasty. —Lindy Segal, Allure, 21 Nov. 2024

Apple has given the Photos app a major facelift in iOS 18. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024

Her former Golden Bachelor costar Kathy Swarts, 71, also recently underwent the treatment, as well as Intense Pulsed Light therapy and a lower facelift, and began documenting her journey on Tuesday, Oct. 15. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 17 Oct. 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