in the face of
Idioms-
Despite the opposition of, notwithstanding, as in In the face of published statistics, they insist there is no flu epidemic . [Early 1800s] Also see fly in the face of .
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When confronted with, as in It is hard for brokers to be cheerful in the face of a falling stock market . [Late 1800s]
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.
It takes courage and determination to keep pushing in the face of uncertainty, especially when you bear the scars of previous failures.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
Japan's late prime minister Shinzo Abe had conceived of the Quad, seeing the four democracies as like-minded in the face of China.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
In the past, the Pope has likened today's need for safeguards to protect people in the face of AI developments to those that were needed to ensure human dignity during the industrial revolution.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
But historically they have done better in the face of a weakening job market than they are doing now.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
I thank the civil population for their steadfastness and courage in the face of overwhelming odds and starvation.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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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.