Skip to main content
to face

to face

2.2
To deal with a difficult situation or person
  • verb
  • /feɪs/
translation icon : enfrentarse a
  • She had to face the consequences of her actions when the truth was revealed.
  • face challenges
  • face problems
  • face difficulties

I too would face my death one day.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • What are some of the challenges that you face in dealing with this?

  • But the obstacles you face are far reaching.

  • But at this point, they face that fear and keep going.

  • I must tell the House that we face such a challenge now.

  • We must face the issue.

  • There are all these risks that we face in our businesses.

  • We have to deal with our fears, face them and rise above them.

  • Nonprofit organizations, which have traditionally focused on delivering programs, face challenges in developing such capacity.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Because of the situations immigrant students might face, caring relationships in the school are very important.

    Academic text (2013)
  • The Japanese government is demanding your immediate extradition to face criminal charges in Tokyo.

Synonyms

to confront
vsto face
359 4.4

Face a difficult problem or fear directly and bravely

is about handling difficulties without insisting on bold directness
to brave
vsto face
43 3.6

To face danger or difficulty with courage

is neutral about courage, focusing on handling or opposing difficulties
to front
vsto face
16 4.4

To face something difficult or dangerous directly

is broader and can mean handling problems without determined force

Antonyms

1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

26 4.6

To avoid someone or something and refuse to meet and speak to them on purpose

Idioms

130 2.3

In the same place as someone and looking at them directly

in your face
  • Informal
43 8.1

Bold and aggressive to get attention or challenge others

to face facts
  • Informal
30 4.1

Accept the truth about a difficult situation

to save face
  • Informal
25 5.3

Keep respect in front of others after making a mistake

To be very obvious and hard for someone to ignore

Judging something only by what you first see without checking hidden facts

19 4.5

Accept and deal with unpleasant results or criticism for something you did

Move parts of your face to show dislike, pain, or to be funny

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

Something looks true at first but may not be

to lose face
  • Informal
11 6.6

To feel embarrassed and seem less respected in front of other people

6 7.6

To fail badly and embarrass yourself in front of other people

To keep going when you face serious problems

To fail completely and feel embarrassed in front of others

A strong feeling you can clearly see on someone's face

to about-face
  • Literature
3 6.7

To change your opinion or position completely and suddenly

1 7.0

To look at your fear and act without avoiding it

Disappear completely so no one knows what happened and no sign is left

Deliberately do something that hurts you more than the person you want to punish

1 7.6

A person who is attractive but thought to have little intelligence or real skill

to pull a face
  • Informal
1 5.5

Make a face to show dislike or discomfort

1 9.9

To threaten to hurt someone very badly

In a job or place where the real work is done

A face that looks very ugly

A face that looks healthy and young

A face that people think is very ugly

to face Goliath
  • Informal
8.1

To take on a much more powerful person or group

A face so ugly that it shocks people

To eat a lot of food quickly

To keep your face looking serious and not show you are laughing

Someone or something disappears completely so nobody knows where they are

7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

Hit someone's face hard so it looks damaged

5.5

To talk directly to someone when they are there

To surprise someone very strongly, often in a funny way

Act in a way that shows strong disrespect and insults someone

A face that clearly shows success and happiness

Phrasal Verbs

to face
  • Informal
179 3.9

Speak directly to someone, not behind their back

49 2.0

With the front side turned down toward a surface

to face up
  • Informal
38 4.1

To accept and deal with a difficult situation directly and bravely

36 5.7

To begin play with two players trying to win the puck or ball when the referee drops it

20 7.7

To accept that you will die while staying calm and brave

Believe something is true without checking it

Accept real facts even when they are painful

Deal with a problem directly instead of avoiding it

9 1.0

With the top side turned up so it is visible

Deal with a difficult problem or situation

4 9.9

To kiss someone passionately for a long time

3 6.6

To suddenly change your opinion or plan to the opposite

3 8.2

To eat a lot of food very quickly

Experience unfair treatment because of your race, gender, or religion

A plan or action that fails suddenly and causes big problems for the person who planned it

1 6.1

To turn quickly to face the other way

to face backlash
  • Literature
1 6.1

To receive strong public criticism for something you do or say

1 9.8

Hit someone in the face very hard to hurt them

To hit someone's face very hard to hurt them

9.9

Threaten to hit a person's face and hurt them

Experience problems that make progress harder

To deal directly and openly with a problem

To receive harsh criticism in public

To be left out and avoided by people in your group

To get very harsh public criticism

To leave someone alone when you bother them

Compounds

96 3.2

Happens when people meet and talk in the same place

The surface of the world or being anywhere in the world

face value
  • Specialized
41 4.4

A number printed on a ticket, coin, or bond that shows its official worth

40 2.0

Someone you have seen before and can easily recognize

34 3.9

A face that shows no feeling, often to avoid laughing

pretty face
  • Offensive
33 4.2

An attractive person who others think has nothing besides looks

game face
  • Informal
15 6.5

A serious, focused look people make before a challenge

poker face
  • Informal
12 4.8

A face that shows no feeling so others cannot tell what you feel

10 5.3

A tense meeting between two people or groups on opposite sides

8 5.2

A way to start play in ice hockey when a referee drops the puck between two players

in-your-face
  • Informal
8 8.4

Very bold and rude in a way that forces people to notice

7 3.5

A face that makes someone look younger and more innocent than they are

7 2.8

Happens when people sit or stand opposite each other in the same place

face lift
  • Specialized
7 4.4

Surgery that tightens the skin on the face and removes extra tissue to make someone look younger

face time
  • Jargon
7 4.0

Time spent in the same place with the people you work with

about-face
  • Literature
5 7.3

A sudden, complete change of direction or opinion

5 1.3

A cream you put on your face to keep the skin soft and not dry

4 1.4

A covering worn over the nose and mouth to protect against dust, germs, or pollution

4 5.1

A round, chubby face with full cheeks

2 2.8

A playing card with a picture of a king, queen, or jack

2 2.7

A cream, clay, or sheet put on the face to make skin look better

2 1.8

A protective covering worn over the face in sports to prevent injury

face recognition
  • Specialized
2 3.1

A computer system that identifies a person by comparing their face with saved photos

2 3.8

A cosmetic update to a building or place that makes it look newer

1 2.1

A flat surface on a clock that shows the hours and minutes with numbers and hands

1 6.0

An action to help someone avoid embarrassment

1 3.0

A fine powder that you put on your face to make skin look smooth and less shiny

1 1.0

A small soft towel you use to wash your face or body

1 3.9

A set of metal bars attached to the front of a football helmet that protects the player's face

1 4.0

A small change to the look of something to make it more modern or attractive

1 6.3

A thin cloth worn to partly cover the face, often for religious or cultural reasons

1 7.2

A mask worn to hide the face at a costume party

1 1.6

A mild product used to wash the skin on your face

face time
  • Texting
1 3.5

A live video meeting with one or more people

A piece of bread with toppings and no top slice

1 9.6

A sudden complete change of opinion or plan

1 6.1

A twisted look that shows dislike, annoyance, or slight amusement

A face with a chin that sticks out

7.1

The place where work is done and real problems happen

crater face
  • Slang
9.8

A face with deep scars or small holes caused by severe acne

3.9

Computer systems check who a person is by scanning their face

ewwy face
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A face showing disgust when something tastes or smells bad

face angle
  • Specialized
7.5

The turn between two edges that meet at a corner on a flat side of a 3D shape

face pack
  • Indian
3.4

A cream or mask you put on the face to clean and improve the skin

face diaper
  • Offensive
9.9

A slang, often rude, name for a mask people wear over their mouth and nose

5.5

A person who looks attractive on television

face fungus
  • Slang
8.8

Hair that people grow near the mouth and chin, like a beard

face lifting
  • Specialized
5.1

Surgery that removes loose skin and tightens the face to look younger

face lifting
  • Specialized
4.8

App that edits a person's face in photos to look younger

The skill of seeing a face and knowing who the person is

face saver
  • Informal
5.8

Something that helps a person avoid embarrassment or loss of respect

A small towel used to dry the face or hands

A company that sells certificates and promises to pay a fixed amount on a set date

An expression on a person's face that shows their feelings

mayonnaise face
  • Offensive
9.9

A person whose face looks very pale and unhealthy

goo-goo face
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A silly loving face people make to amuse or show love to a baby

hog-face
  • Informal
9.9

An exaggerated face people make to show disgust or disapproval

pudding face
  • Offensive
8.7

A large round face that looks soft and full

pudding-face
  • Offensive
9.9

A round soft face that looks full and chubby

punchable face
  • Offensive
9.1

A face that makes people want to hit the person

red face test
  • Informal
8.1

A way to see if someone looks embarrassed because they blush

resting bitch face
  • Offensive
9.9

A calm face that looks unfriendly or annoyed without meaning to

rich face
  • Literature
9.9

A face that shows strong character and deep feeling

pig face
  • Informal
9.3

A silly face that looks like a pig to make people laugh

soyjak face
  • Slang
9.9

A cartoon face with an open mouth and wide eyes used in internet memes to show real or fake excitement

stone-face
  • South African
9.9

A small plant with thick leaves that looks like a stone and has yellow or white flowers

7.9

A check to see if you can keep a serious face when something is funny

How Direct

to confront
310 4.1
to face
2.2
to tackle
204 3.4
to address
3.6
to manage
239 2.3
to avoid
1.0
to ignore
1.0

Surface Forms

face infinitive
faced past
faced past participle
facing present participle
faces third person singular

Etymology

The verb face also comes from 'turning toward' a thing, so to face a problem means to turn to it and deal with it. That's why we say you must face the truth.