Croydon facelift
- noun
- Slang
- Some critics argue that the Croydon facelift only hides deeper social issues in the area.
Examples
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The city council promised a Croydon facelift to revitalize the old market district.
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Following the Croydon facelift, many streets were repaved and given a fresh look, but some felt it was just cosmetic.
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After the Croydon facelift, property values in the neighborhood began to rise.
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The new park is part of the Croydon facelift initiative.
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Many residents are skeptical about the Croydon facelift.
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The city council's plan for a Croydon facelift aims to improve local amenities and attract new businesses.
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Residents expressed concerns that the Croydon facelift efforts might not address the underlying issues of the community.
Synonyms
37
3.2
A complete change to a room, building, or brand to look newer
12
4.0
A small change to the look of something to make it more modern or attractive
9
3.6
Clearing and rebuilding old parts of a city to improve housing and services
5
3.8
A cosmetic update to a building or place that makes it look newer
5
4.4
Improvements that make a building or product look newer without big changes
Antonyms
How Superficial
- Slang
89
4.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
Croydon + facelift
The sense 'a cosmetic or superficial improvement linked to Croydon' is partly inferable because 'facelift' clearly signals a cosmetic refresh, and a B1 learner who recognises Croydon as a place can guess the phrase names a localised makeover. However, the expression relies on UK-specific cultural/pejorative associations (and has other senses, e.g. a hairstyle) that are not predictable from the words alone, so full understanding usually requires extra background knowledge.
Etymology
One popular story says the term Croydon facelift comes from a common hairstyle where people pull their hair back so tight the face looks lifted, like a facelift. So people use Croydon facelift for changes to a place that are only 'cosmetic' and do not fix deeper problems.