frown

American  

[froun] / fraʊn /

verb (used without object)

1. to contract the brow, as in displeasure or deep thought; scowl.

   Synonyms:

   gloom, lower, glower

2. to look displeased; have an angry look.

3. to view with disapproval; look disapprovingly (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to frown upon a scheme.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to express by a frown.

   to frown one's displeasure.

2. to force or shame with a disapproving frown.

   to frown someone into silence.

noun

1. a frowning look; scowl.

2. any expression or show of disapproval.

   a tax bill that received Congressional frowns.

frown British  

/ fraʊn /

verb

1. (intr) to draw the brows together and wrinkle the forehead, esp in worry, anger, or concentration

2. (intr; foll by on or upon) to have a dislike (of); look disapprovingly (upon)

   the club frowned upon political activity by its members

3. (tr) to express (worry, etc) by frowning

4. to force, silence, etc, by a frowning look

---

noun

1. the act of frowning

2. a show of dislike or displeasure

Other Word Forms

• frowner noun
• frowningly adverb
• half-frowning adjective
• half-frowningly adverb
• unfrowning adjective

Etymology

Origin of frown

1350–1400; Middle English frounen < Old French froignier, derivative of froigne surly expression, probably < Gaulish *frognā; compare Welsh ffroen, Old Breton fron nostril, Old Irish srón nose < Celtic *srognā or *sroknā

Example Sentences

She grinned as she explained that some sculptures of famed Buddhist monk Ji Gong even showed him smiling on one side of his face and frowning on the other.

From Barron's

Even if you want to cry when you walk in the door, turn that frown upside down and greet your host with a warm hug and a smile.

From MarketWatch

Now bosses might frown upon a worker caught labouring over a spreadsheet.

From BBC

Paramount, meanwhile, had in recent days accused Warner of unfairly favoring Netflix’s deal, which it said would be frowned upon by regulators in the U.S. and abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gabillet said when he frowned after using the word “proud” to characterize the progress.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• glare
• glower
• grimace
• pout