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Synonyms

forehead

American  
[fawr-id, for-, fawr-hed, for-] / ˈfɔr ɪd, ˈfɒr-, ˈfɔrˌhɛd, ˈfɒr- /

noun

  • foreheads
    plural
  1. the part of the face above the eyebrows; brow.

  2. the fore or front part of anything.


forehead British  
/ ˈfɔːˌhɛd, ˈfɒrɪd /

noun

  1. the part of the face between the natural hairline and the eyes, formed skeletally by the frontal bone of the skull; brow

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of forehead

before 1000; Middle English forehe ( v ) ed, Old English forhēafod. See fore-, head

Explanation

Your forehead is the top part of your face, just below your hairline and above your eyebrows. If you have long bangs, they cover up most of your forehead. You can also call your forehead your "brow." It's important for communication, since the forehead helps people express basic emotions — muscles in your forehead control the movement of your eyebrows, which help you express concern and anger, among other feelings. Forehead has the Old English roots fore, "the front part," and heafod, "top of the body," or "head."

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Vocabulary lists containing forehead

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:

Usman Muhammad pauses by the entrance to a tiny Nigerian prison cell and leans his forehead against the wall unable to speak.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Larsson reposted part of the original clip, which then cuts to a selfie video of her using her fingers to hold an 'L' shape against her forehead.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Lifts of all sorts are, no pun intended, on the rise: forehead and brow lifts up 29 percent; arm lifts and neck lifts both up 21 percent.

From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026

In my newfound visibility, I doubled down on the style that concealed something — anything — about me, if only a few inches of forehead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

With his hands, Cam framed her head, then leaned against her forehead, pushing her bright red glasses down her nose.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

We’ve watched celebrities undertake this shape-shifting toward pillowy lips, smooth foreheads, high cheekbones.

From Slate ● Sep. 2, 2026

On Wednesday, Ben Gvir sparked an outcry internationally but also within his own government by publishing a video of dozens of activists kneeling with their foreheads on the ground and their hands tied.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

The numbers, he said, were often written on their chests and foreheads.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 19, 2025

But what was once reserved for the ageing wealthy, or the elusive world of celebrities, has now reached the foreheads of 20-somethings across the UK.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2025

When I stand back up, Lily now firmly gripping my hand, Dad and Aunt Melissa have stopped arguing and are watching me, their foreheads crinkled in identical looks of concern.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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