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facelift

facelift

7 4.4
Improvements that make a building or product look newer without big changes
  • noun
  • /ˈfeɪsˌlɪft/
translation icon : renovación
  • FARMINGTON -- The Civic Center's exhibit hall may soon receive a much-needed facelift if the City Council approves proposed plans at its Oct. 2 work session.

So if you guys want an instant facelift, this is how you get it.

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Examples

  • The city library is getting a new facelift to attract more visitors with updated facilities.

  • After a recent facelift, Yale's library search system is taking a page from another popular search engine: Google.

    Blog text (25)
  • So we got a little facelift up there just by doing that.

  • Gave your buildings a facelift, about all I can do in a week.

  • However, some still require a little facelift, since we are one year into the future and we have the technology.

    Blog text (11)
  • So when did the old place get a facelift?

  • We give the hotel a facelift.

  • The museum was closed last fall so construction crews could give it a $1.3 million, 7-month-long facelift.

    Academic text (2002)
  • We'd like to dust off our forum interface and give it a much-needed facelift.

    Blog text (27)
  • As archaeologists struggle to make sense of ancient Saqqara, the modern site is getting a much-needed facelift.

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

renovation
vsfacelift
105 3.1

Work to repair and improve a building so it looks like new

is limited to visual refreshing without large-scale restoration or rebuilding
rejuvenation
vsfacelift
13 5.4

To make a person or thing seem younger and fresher

focuses on external appearance changes rather than general youth or vigor
fresh look
vsfacelift
8 2.5

A new, clean style for something, like clothes or a room

is similar but implies specific small improvements rather than general refresh
beautification
vsfacelift
7 4.2

Making a place or thing look nicer

aims at practical visual improvement rather than only decorative beauty
refurbishment
vsfacelift
4 3.7

Cleaning, fixing, and improving a building or room so it is in good condition again

focuses more narrowly on appearance refresh without extensive repair work
face lift
vsfacelift
2 3.8

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

is the single word modern spelling of the same cosmetic update
redecoration
vsfacelift
2 3.4

Making a room look new by changing paint, furniture or style

covers broader surface updates beyond only decorative changes
face-lift
vsfacelift
1 4.0

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

focuses on refreshing appearance without structural or major changes
relook
vsfacelift
6.7

A new appearance made to seem more modern and attractive

is more about minor physical improvements rather than broad style changes
restyle
vsfacelift
4.5

A change to the style or look of something, for example a car

emphasizes improving appearance without deep repairs or structural work

Antonyms

33 6.8

The process of making land, water, or buildings worse over time

1 8.4

A building or place that becomes run-down and damaged because people do not care for it

Compounds

9.9

Surface improvements to a neighborhood that do not fix real problems

How Extensive

makeover
47 3.2
renovation
105 3.1
facelift
7 4.4
touch-up
8 3.9

Surface Forms

facelift singular
facelifts plural

Morphology

facelift = face + lift (semi-transparent) = face + lift

The term is a metaphorical extension of the literal 'face-lift' to mean cosmetic improvement of an object; components suggest an improvement but the exact sense 'renovation' is figurative.

Etymology

Facelift uses the same image of face + lift, a helpful way to remember it is as 'making the face look better'. So a facelift for a building or product is a set of changes that 'raise' or refresh its appearance without major work.