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

"His defensiveness and attempt to save face has not been impressive."

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

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

Since huge numbers left as he was mid-speech at the opening celebration, this seems an unwise way to save face.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 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

There were only a few things that could help us save face, and that included keeping a nice house and looking our best.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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