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facepalm

facepalm

1 7.8
Putting a hand over your face to show embarrassment or frustration
  • noun
  • /ˈfeɪsˌpɑlm/
  • Informal
translation icon : facepalm
  • The news of the mistake elicited a collective facepalm from the team during the meeting.

Examples

  • There will be a lot of sad faces and facepalms in Starbucks everywhere.

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  • I don't care what celebs do, but there is the occasional story that makes me facepalm.

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  • I agree, it's a facepalm moment for me too.

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  • I did a triple take followed by a facepalm.

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  • Well, as usual, there is a colossal facepalm at this sort of thing.

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  • Starting today, brave readers can share their facepalm-inducing stories.

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  • It would be a huge facepalm moment if he isn't prepared for this.

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  • Even his most devoted liberal media supporters were doing facepalms.

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  • When she heard his explanation, all she could do was let out a huge facepalm of disbelief.

  • After reviewing the silly error in the report, he shook his head and gave a visible facepalm.

Antonyms

430 1.0

A happy event such as a party that marks a special occasion or achievement

220 1.0

A sign that someone thinks a person or thing is good

How Embarrassed

facepalm
  • Informal
1 7.8
frown
54 1.0
to sigh
80 1.9

Surface Forms

facepalm singular
facepalms plural

Morphology

facepalm = face + palm (transparent) = face + palm

The meaning (a gesture involving the face and the palm) is directly inferable from 'face' + 'palm'.

Etymology

Facepalm is a modern blend of face and palm, because you put the 'palm' of your hand on your 'face' when you feel embarrassed or frustrated, so a facepalm is the action or moment of covering your face in disbelief.