look in the face
Directly regard someone
To look someone in the face is to meet their gaze directly, especially when doing so requires courage or honesty: How can you look me in the face after what you did?
The phrase often appears in negative constructions suggesting shame or inability to confront someone: I can't look her in the face anymore.
To look something in the face is to confront it squarely: You need to look reality in the face.
- confrontFace squarely, address directly
- gazeFixed, intent look
- stareProlonged fixed gaze
- engageActively participate or connect
- acknowledgeConfirm receipt or truth
glance · address · peer · discern · recognize · accept · hard truth · inspect · brave · behold · scrutinize · square up · meet head on · stand up to · greet · observe · meet · endure
look in the facelook away
Redirect one's gaze
glance away · turn away · look down · look past · look through
look in the faceavoid
Stay away from
evade · shy away from · duck · bury one's head in the sand · deny
look, face, looks, looked, looking, looker, outlook, overlook, onlooker