1
as in to front
to stand or sit with the face or front toward
the house faces the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to confront
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
movie superheroes who are ever ready to face danger without blinking an eye
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to clad
to cover with something that protects
we decided to face our old frame house with aluminum siding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to encounter
to enter into contest or conflict with
the Boston Red Sox were eager to face their traditional rivals, the Yankees, in the play-offs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in looks
the front part of the head
the criminal hid his face from the news cameras as he slumped into the patrol car
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in front
a forward part or surface
the face of the store building has been altered many times over the years to meet changing tastes and needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in grimace
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
it's rude to make a face when your dinner hostess offers you broccoli
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in exterior
an outer part or layer
a much-needed sandblasting revealed that the face of the old stone church is actually a pinkish granite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling
a rainy day is no excuse for just moping around with a long face, so let's do something
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
on the face of it, the country went to war for noble reasons
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in person
a member of the human race
I see they've hired some new faces
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in gall
shameless boldness
you have to wonder how anyone has the face to ask such a personal question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in assurance
a state of mind in which one is free from doubt
he managed to maintain face despite the endless series of crises
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of face
Brett Berk, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2025
The building would be round, and all of the inmates’ cells would face a central rotunda, where the guards would be stationed.
—Kelsey McKinney, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025
Hannah Sacks, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Like a bone-crunching kick to the face this one should hit perfectly for mainstream buyers and streamers alike.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for face 
Verb
Such a shift invokes concomitant issues, ones that Bentley is not alone in facing.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2025
The building would be round, and all of the inmates’ cells would face a central rotunda, where the guards would be stationed.
—Kelsey McKinney, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
Mae Whitman is sharing the adorable first few photos of her baby son's face.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
Like a bone-crunching kick to the face this one should hit perfectly for mainstream buyers and streamers alike.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for face
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face
Verb
-
Grande has fronted the show twice, including pulling double duty as musical guest in her hosting debut.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Located along the equator, Somalia fronts the Indian Ocean, offering an ideal launch location.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Then, in November, with the election of Donald Trump and the Republicans’ return to power in Congress, the question of how best to respond to opioid-use disorder was confronted with new uncertainty.—
Moises Velasquez-Manoff Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Zak Mouton,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
-
On the internet, you are confronted with different perspectives on reality.—
Georg Szalai,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Chiara de Rege’s recent client, a professional couple with a growing family, were charmed by a wall covering from the designer’s Maison C line, cladding a washroom in their former home with the pattern.—
Katherine Burns Olson,
Architectural Digest,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The retro trend of cladding your rooms with wallpaper actually harkens further back to centuries past, when fine homes were showcases for pastoral murals in elegant gathering rooms.—
Jamie Gold,
Forbes,
29 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
More than 1,000 people wrote in about the electric chance encounters and deep love that slipped through their fingers.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Strange then skipped across the multiverse and even encountered other versions of himself in a movie pointedly titled Multiverse of Madness.—
Eliana Dockterman,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Both share similar pointed turrets and feature small windows along the facade.—
Hannah Malach,
WWD,
4 Feb. 2025
-
Step through the red-brick facade any morning of the week for a coffee and a nosh—and don’t miss out on the latkes served with applesauce and sour cream or the matzo ball soup.—
Eliseé Browchuk,
Vogue,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Where does anxiety come in? Usually through the fingertips and toes, exiting in involuntary grimaces and moans, especially around 2AM.—
Kristen Radtke,
The Verge,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Associated with such grimaces were very fast upward swinging movements of the arms and alternate bending and straightening of each leg such that the right foot especially would stamp against the ground.—
Caitlyn Murphy,
Hazlitt,
13 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
With a very unassuming exterior, quite Zen and humble, this Japanese-centric restaurant eschews flash for flavor.—
Laura Ness,
The Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2025
-
The Merino wool exterior ensures warmth, while the fleece lining is soft and cozy on my ears.—
Hannah Freedman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The celebrity hairstylist aimed to create a polished look while keeping the curls intact and frizz-free.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
10 Feb. 2025
-
Here's a closer look at what the department does and doesn't do: 🎓 The federal government contributes a small fraction of schools' overall funding.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2025
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Thesaurus Entries Near face
Cite this Entry
“Face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share