straight face

American

noun

a serious or impassive facial expression that conceals one's true feelings about something, especially a desire to laugh.

straight face British

noun

a serious facial expression, esp one that conceals the impulse to laugh

"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

straight face Idioms

see keep a straight face.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of straight face

First recorded in 1890–95

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.

Much like online dating profiles, it turns out that athletes like saying they’re at least 6 feet tall if they can do it with a straight face.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

It's the comedy show with a simple format - try to make everyone else laugh while keeping a straight face yourself.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

And I remember thinking, “oh my gosh, that someone could say that with a straight face? What am I doing here?”

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

Down a busy street in Sants, Maleducat was rewriting Catalan home cooking with a straight face.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

“You’re making the assumption that we want him here,” Wilem said with a straight face.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023