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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.

Marset could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of money laundering conspiracy.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Under new legislation, people caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Grant added that a third of CalMac sailings on Thursday were subject to disruptions, and called on ministers to "face up to their responsibilities and ensure that communities are properly compensated".

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Puig, 35, could face up to 20 years in prison.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

He lifted his face up to the air.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

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.