facedown

American  

[fays-daun, fays-daun] / ˈfeɪsˈdaʊn, ˈfeɪsˌdaʊn /

adverb

1. with the face or the front or upper surface downward.

   He was lying facedown on the floor. Deal the cards facedown on the table.

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noun

1. Informal. Also face-down a direct confrontation; showdown.

Etymology

Origin of facedown

1930–35; facedown ( def. 1 ) face + down ¹; facedown ( def. 2 ) noun use of verb phrase face down

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

facedown

Trump shared photos of the suspected shooter, shirtless and in handcuffs facedown on a carpeted floor, in what appears to be the Hilton lobby.

From Barron's ● Apr. 26, 2026

In an interview, Celinski told AP that on that night he had not known holding someone facedown could be risky, and had safely used the technique his entire career.

From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024

“Minutes later, I returned and found him facedown in the pillow,” Tom later wrote.

From Slate ● May 2, 2024

Body paint and lying facedown for an hour: what it was like being Margo Robbie’s body double for “Barbie.”

From New York Times ● Jun. 24, 2023

Choking and retching, soaking and colder than he had ever been in his life, he came to facedown in the snow.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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