save face

idiom

: to avoid having other people lose respect for oneself
He tried to save face by working overtime.

Examples of save face in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Those bureaucrats, in order to save face for the Communist Party, have sanctioned the Rubio from before. Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 Doing so would be politically difficult for Trudeau, since the dairy farmers who benefit are mostly in Quebec, a province that his party, the Liberals, must win to stay in power, but the move would allow Trump to save face and Trudeau to save NAFTA. Andrew Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2018 Let that sink in—this is a club synonymous with silverware and title races, now scrambling to save face. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024 Since the fallout of the Puerto Rico comment at his Madison Square Garden rally, Trump and senior Republicans have been working overtime to save face with Latino voters and turn the controversy around. Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for save face 

Dictionary Entries Near save face

Cite this Entry

“Save face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/save%20face. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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