facade
facade
American
[fuh-sahd, fa-]
/ fəˈsɑd, fæ- /
Or
façade
noun
-
facades
plural
-
Architecture.
-
the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one.
-
any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly.
-
-
a superficial appearance or illusion of something.
They managed somehow to maintain a facade of wealth.
façade
British
/ fəˈsɑːd, fæ- /
noun
-
the face of a building, esp the main front
-
a front or outer appearance, esp a deceptive one
Usage
What does facade mean? A facade is the front of a building or a side that faces a public area. Facade is used literally to describe a decorative, showy, or onrate piece of architecture that frames the front of a building, as in The architect who designed this building used a showy facade on it to help it stand out from nearby buildings. A facade is also a superficial appearance or an illusion, which can be literal or figurative. If a movie star wears a dark hoodie and sunglasses so they won’t be recognized by the press, they are wearing a literal facade. If that movie star acts completely different from who they actually are or puts on an alternate personality in order to trick or convince people of something, that is a figurative facade. Example: He continually lied to keep up his facade until the whole thing stumbled out of control.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of facade
First recorded in 1650–60; from French, from Upper Italian faciada, Italian facciata, equivalent to facci(a) face + -ata -ade 1
Explanation
A facade is the front of a building, or a kind of front people put up emotionally. If you're mad but acting happy, you're putting up a facade. This word has to do with the outer layer of something. One sense has to do with the front or outside of a building. The other meaning has to do with people who are hiding something. In both cases, the facade could be deceiving. A building with a gorgeous facade isn't necessarily gorgeous inside. A person putting on a facade is definitely putting on a front: the face they're showing to the world doesn't match how they're feeling.
Vocabulary lists containing facade
The Great Gatsby
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The Lightning Thief
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"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But a tarp has remained over the facade since that time, sparking questions about the actual changes.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Trump’s name was removed from the facade soon after.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
It helps that Early’s vision of our media-steeped contemporary lives sees through the shiny, digital facade.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
We’re entering Los Angeles, circa 1981, and just like the Overlook Hotel, danger lurks beneath a glamorous facade.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
He pointed at a tall, gaudy facade at the edge of the square.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
Designed by Gaudí, the Nativity façade is both naturalistic and overflowing with natural imagery: lilies and palm trees, a tortoise and sea turtle, insects and frogs, sheep and ducks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
And the occasional cracks in what might be called her monumental façade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
On a severely damaged façade there's a sign:
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
What better place to reflect on that proposition than a spot just 12 blocks south of Hunt’s apogee: the façade of the Met.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Then again, maybe they’re both hiding behind this façade.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Some apartment blocks are stripped of their facades.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
But in some cases, blue skies can be seen through the facades, making the decaying structures look like theater props.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
His photos capture a place as vibrant as its facades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
While the grounds have yet to be landscaped, the structures designed to house foster siblings together are clearly taking shape, featuring white facades, gray rooftops, and numerous windows.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 19, 2026
"I keep thinking about ghosts," I said as we walked alongside the pastel houses with flat facades and square windows.
From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
