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

During the show, Glaser also defended plastic surgery, joking about getting a facelift in August 2026. —Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025

In January, after years of discussion, the city launched a two-phase facelift of Deerpath, the city’s main east-west thoroughfare into downtown. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025

Interestingly, all the lavatories—which have also received a facelift with touch sensors and new finishes—are on the left side of the aircraft. —Chris Dong, AFAR Media, 26 Feb. 2025

The new tenants bring a major facelift to the space and a spectacular barbecue plate. —Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2025

Now there’s a new Taycan, and while the design hasn’t changed much at all – there are new lights on the outside and practically nothing new inside – this mid-life facelift is an example of how much electric cars can evolve in a few short years. —Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

Recently the brand gave its first retail store in the Marais district in Paris, opened in 2017, a major facelift with a new concept that showcases the sunny, smart and simple spirit of the brand and its products. —Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 19 Feb. 2025

The Celtics posted a 5-2 record in the first seven. Dallas, which underwent a dramatic franchise facelift ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, was missing several key contributors. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2025

The last time Alexa received a significant facelift was in 2023. —Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for facelift

• adrift
• airlift
• festschrift
• forklift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift
• drift

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