straight face
noun
a serious or impassive facial expression that conceals one's true feelings about something, especially a desire to laugh.
straight-faced
-
a word derived from
straight face.
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.
About Gorsuch, specifically, I think that what I learned was that he’s great at playing that straight-faced man.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
Huffman’s characterization of Bree is three-dimensional and completely straight-faced, brimming with compassion and curiosity — and, really, so very funny, but without ever making Bree the butt of the joke.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
Throughout the history of popular culture, there have been many answers to the question “What’s in the Box?”—the title of the new Netflix game show hosted by a barely straight-faced Neil Patrick Harris.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
The Chief's sharp dress sense matched his comedic wit, and he was often seen teasing the core characters as they struggled to tell if his straight-faced comments were deadly serious or a complete joke.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2025
She was straight-faced and matter-of-fact as she stacked up several of the spotting blocks so that she could stand level with the bar.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
