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.

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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

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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

Explanation

If you frown at someone, you look at them with disapproval, and if you frown on something they do, you don't approve of that either. Because you frown on smoking, you probably frown at smokers too! The distant ancestors of frown, the ones that came long before Old French, meant "nose." Think about the expression, to look down one's nose at someone or something, which means "to disapprove of." If you have a frown on your face, you definitely don't like what you see! Sometimes when you're thinking hard about something, you might frown, but that is probably more of an expression of concentration than disapproval.

Example Sentences

Making "Year of the Horse" stuffed toys in a workshop, an employee accidentally stitched the festive foal's mouth on upside-down -- turning its cheerful expression into a gloomy frown.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

The Justices sound ready to frown on his firing of Lisa Cook.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

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 • Jan. 17, 2026

What he wears that is noticeable is the heavy frown on his face.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

The fairy’s smile turned into a frown, and she stuck out her tongue at the girl.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• glare
• glower
• grimace
• pout