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.
"There's an expectation that they keep us safe, and this flies in the face of that."
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Less positively, they say they can’t tell whether the acquisition materially moves Netwealth ahead of peers or how sustainable the offering will be in the face of artificial-intelligence-driven competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Federal Reserve was no match for shares of optical-networking companies, which led S&P 500 gainers on Wednesday in the face of broad market weakness.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Sept. 11, 2001, was a rare moment of national unity in the face of tragedy.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
The Confederacy would not surrender even in the face of an almost certain Union victory.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
