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Synonyms

face up to

British  

verb

  1. to accept (an unpleasant fact, reality, etc)

"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

face up to Idioms  
  1. Also, face it. Confront or accept an unpleasant or difficult situation. For example, Jane had to face up to the possibility of being fired, or Face it—you were wrong. [Late 1700s] Also see face the music.


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:

Under the deal, he’ll pay a $2.25 million fine and face up to five years behind bars.

From Slate Jun. 26, 2026

"We are organising the service to face up to this unusual heatwave," the Atac transport authority was quoted by the Corriere della Sera daily as saying.

From Barron's Jun. 23, 2026

The case continues, and if found guilty the Ulm 5 face up to five years in prison.

From BBC May 28, 2026

The Chinese natives are currently incarcerated at the Ventura County Main Jail and the Todd Road Jail, respectively, and face up to four years’ imprisonment followed by two years of probation.

From Los Angeles Times May 13, 2026

I held my face up to feel the wind.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

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