save face

Idioms  

1. Avoid humiliation or embarrassment, preserve dignity, as in Rather than fire him outright, they let him save face by accepting his resignation. The phrase, which uses face in the sense of “outward appearances,” is modeled on the antonym lose face. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

save face

He becomes desperate to protect himself from it and tries to save face, saying “I guess I shouldn’t have had that last Cheez-It this morning.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

"Both sides need to be able to claim victory and save face, whatever deal they agree on," a diplomat based in the Middle East told AFP on condition of anonymity.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

But my mom wasn’t trying to save face in front of the nurses; she lied for their benefit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026

"Even if the administration wanted to step back, how does it save face in a way that is mutually acceptable to all the relevant players?" he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2025

Carla shook her head, and her mother explained to the officer, helping her save face, "She doesn't remember."

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez