forehead
Americannoun
-
the part of the face above the eyebrows; brow.
-
the fore or front part of anything.
noun
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."
Vocabulary lists containing forehead
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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.
See Examples For:
"I probably should have a cap," he conceded, wiping his forehead.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Gabriel had pushed his forehead into striker Erling Haaland during City's 2-1 win, but was only shown a yellow card.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
Like so many other TV personalities in 2026, she cannot move her forehead, giving her already steely vibe the facial permanence of a screengrab.
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
Also fueling backlash was the artificial-intelligence-generated image of Trump, in a white robe and a red stole, placing his hand on the forehead of a man in a hospital bed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
Last, he made the most important mark of all: a circle on the forehead to mark the Nanuak, the world-soul.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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
Sometimes we work with lamps on our foreheads.
From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2026
The numbers, he said, were often written on their chests and foreheads.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 19, 2025
The public image persists of government offices being filled with drones sitting with their foreheads on their desks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2025
It was Bronwyn who tucked them into bed at night, Bronwyn who read them stories and kissed their foreheads.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
