long face

American  

noun

1. an unhappy or gloomy expression.

   He's been walking around with a long face ever since he failed the examination.

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long face British  

noun

1. a disappointed, solemn, or miserable facial expression

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long face Idioms  

1. A facial expression showing sadness or disappointment, as in Greg's long face was a clear indication of his feelings. [Late 1700s]

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Other Word Forms

• long-faced adjective

Etymology

Origin of long face

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Family members often referred to him as “El Viejito,” for his long face and an emotional literacy well beyond his years.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2025

I’ve got a very long face, so I like my brims to be a little longer and a little flatter.

From New York Times • Mar. 30, 2024

My final assessment in theater school, I was told I looked like a funeral attendant because of my long face.

From Salon • Jul. 6, 2023

His long face creased into a wry smile.

From Washington Post • Sep. 29, 2021

One time he gave a lengthy tour to a tall, stoop-shouldered man with a lugubrious expression on his long face, whom Lawrence introduced with unusual deference as “Dr. Nicholas Baker.”

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik