English Reference

Word

faced

US/ˈfeɪst/

UK/fˈeɪsd/

Definitions

01dealt with or looked toward

B1

v. the past tense of 'face', used when you looked at something or dealt with a problem.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'face', indicating having confronted a situation or having been oriented in a specific direction.

“She faced her fears and finally gave the presentation to the whole company.”

“The building faced the ocean, providing every resident with an unobstructed view of the coastline and the morning sunrise.”

Usage

As a verb, it is transitive and requires a direct object.

Antonyms

02having a specific face

B2

adj. having a certain kind of face, usually used with another word like 'pale-faced' or 'two-faced'.

adj. having a specified type or number of faces; almost exclusively used in hyphenated compound constructions.

“The pale-faced boy looked like he had seen a ghost in the hallway.”

“The stone-faced guards stood motionless at the entrance, refusing to acknowledge the protesters gathered outside the gates.”

Usage

Typically functions as a combining form in compound adjectives.

03very drunk

C1

adj. extremely drunk from drinking too much alcohol.

adj. highly intoxicated by alcohol. This sense is highly informal and typically found in youth or party contexts.

“He got totally faced at the party and couldn't remember how he got home.”

“After several rounds of heavy drinks at the celebration, half the guests were completely faced before the food was even served.”

Slang · Informal

Teaching tip

This is very casual slang; students should avoid using it in any professional or academic setting.

Antonyms

Real-World Examples

“However, previous studies did not properly set out the different risks faced by younger people aged 15-39, middle-aged adults (40-59) and older adults (aged 60 or over).”
The Guardian · 17 Aug 2026
“Officials said previously that he faced academic-related stress, and a classmate said he was bullied.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From face + -ed.

Abbreviation of shit-faced.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Collocations

faced criticismfaced mounting

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

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