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

"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

Enough canceled flights could annoy members of Congress so much, on a personal level, that they get into a bipartisan dealmaking spirit that allows everyone to save face.

From Slate • Nov. 7, 2025

It’s only when everyday people kick up enough fuss that they attempt to save face.

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2025

Lending a coat to a friend who needed to save face with his mother and father could be normal, Shin thought.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden