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Synonyms

brow

American  
[brou] / braʊ /

noun

  1. Anatomy. the ridge over the eye.

  2. the hair growing on that ridge; eyebrow.

  3. the forehead.

    He wore his hat low over his brow.

  4. a person's countenance or mien.

  5. the edge of a steep place.

    She looked down over the brow of the hill.

  6. gangplank.

brow British  
/ braʊ /

noun

  1. the part of the face from the eyes to the hairline; forehead

  2. short for eyebrow

  3. the expression of the face; countenance

    a troubled brow

  4. the top of a mine shaft; pithead

  5. the jutting top of a hill, etc

  6. dialect a steep slope on a road

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
brow Idioms  

  1. see by the sweat of one's brow; cause raised eyebrows.

Etymology

Origin of brow

before 1000; Middle English browe, Old English brū; akin to Old Norse brūn, Sanskrit bhrūs

Vocabulary lists containing brow

Excerpt from "The Little Mermaid"

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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.

From the fevered brow of social media comes the tart phrase “aura farming.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

She focuses, furrowing her brow to deliver yet another batch of priceless advice.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

Sweatband cradling his brow and lion inked on his back, the 31-year-old has boldly written his own legacy.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

In therapy with Arisu, Niragi still looks almost the same – wearing a busy patterned-shirt, face scarred and with nose and brow piercings.

From Salon • Sep. 26, 2025

Fleetwood’s face deepens from pink to plum while the ambassador’s brow knits with confusion.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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.