frown
Americanverb (used without object)
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frowns,
present (3rd person singular)
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frowned,
past participle, past
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frowning
present participle
verb (used with object)
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frowns,
present (3rd person singular)
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frowned,
past participle, past
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frowning
present participle
-
to express by a frown.
to frown one's displeasure.
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to force or shame with a disapproving frown.
to frown someone into silence.
noun
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frowns
plural
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a frowning look; scowl.
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any expression or show of disapproval.
a tax bill that received Congressional frowns.
verb
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(intr) to draw the brows together and wrinkle the forehead, esp in worry, anger, or concentration
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(intr; foll by on or upon) to have a dislike (of); look disapprovingly (upon)
the club frowned upon political activity by its members
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(tr) to express (worry, etc) by frowning
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to force, silence, etc, by a frowning look
noun
-
the act of frowning
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a show of dislike or displeasure
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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frownsimple
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frownssimple
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have frownedperfect
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has frownedperfect
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am frowningprogressive
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are frowningprogressive
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is frowningprogressive
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have been frowningperfect progressive
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has been frowningperfect progressive
Past
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frownedsimple
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had frownedperfect
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was frowningprogressive
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were frowningprogressive
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had been frowningperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing frown
"Thank You, M'am"
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Chiasmus from Top AP English Exam Novels
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"The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare, Act V
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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:
While many HR pros frown on such behavior, some, parents themselves, told me they could understand the impulse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
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
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
I frown at him and shove my finger against my lips.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Dogs are exceptionally skilled at reading human emotions, from smiles and laughter to frowns and tears.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
On a recent day off from making lattes and Frappuccinos, Starbucks barista Bridget Baron came into work to do something the company usually frowns upon: posting an on-the-job TikTok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025
And generally, the law frowns on making a person’s status—rather than their actions—the basis of a crime or a lawsuit.
From Slate ● May 13, 2024
He said he recalled a "couple of frowns" but that most welcomed him with open arms.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2023
“But you were right ,” he says, his eyebrows pinching together as he frowns hard at something I can’t see.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
Henderson said he only realized the solicitation he’d been asked to do might be frowned upon after Orchid told him as much at their meal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
Boasting about one’s status is generally frowned upon in finance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
It was meant to address concerns about hygiene and safety, but the law also played into social norms in a conservative country where body art is still deeply frowned upon.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
For her, karate is a way to "release emotions" and "bring serenity during stressful times", even though it was long frowned upon for women to practise the sport in Iran.
From Barron's ● Nov. 17, 2025
He turned to Jeremy and frowned, as if the idea of a customer was truly annoying.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
In the troika of major figures in the Russian Revolution, Trotsky stood for ideas and Stalin represented power; their predecessor, Vladimir Lenin, had fused the two values as the frowning avatar of communist leadership.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
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 ● Jan. 19, 2026
Often Gail looks like she’s frowning, but it’s just that she has poor vision and is straining to see through her prescription lenses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025
Like many South Africans he praised Ramaphosa for his measured handling of the encounter in the White House, smiling when Trump was frowning.
From BBC ● May 21, 2025
I was going so fast, I couldn’t even see whether Mr. Brisbane was smiling or frowning.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
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.
