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Synonyms

mug shot

American  
Or mugshot

noun

Slang.

  1. Also called headshot.  an identifying photograph of a suspect or criminal, often one of a set showing a frontal view, a profile view, and a view of the back of the head.

  2. any closeup photograph of someone's face.

mug shot British  

noun

  1. informal a photograph of a person's face, esp one resembling a police-file picture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mug shot

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

Photography YouTuber Jared Polin said that he discussed the portrait with Mr Torok and was told the mug shot did provide inspiration.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025

Pieces of his mug shot suit!—is a bit of a homegrown monster.

From Slate • Jul. 19, 2024

Was it just another opportunity to look tough, like his glowering expression in his mug shot?

From Salon • Jul. 15, 2024

Later Tuesday, the Sag Harbor Police Department released a mug shot of the singer that was taken during booking.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2024

When I entered my employee number my indent profile appeared on the display, along with a mug shot they’d taken of me during my initial processing.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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.