# frown

/ˈfɹaʊn/ (US) · /fɹˈaʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/frown
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to wrinkle the brow

verb · CEFR B1

to move your eyebrows together so that lines appear on your forehead, usually because you are unhappy or thinking.

For teachers: to contract the brow by drawing the eyebrows together, typically expressing displeasure, confusion, or intense concentration.

- The teacher frowned at the noisy students until the room became quiet.
- She frowned at the complex legal document, struggling to decipher the dense terminology and conflicting clauses.

Usage: Intransitive; often followed by 'at' when directed toward a person or object.

### 2. to disapprove

verb · CEFR B2

to think that something is wrong or bad.

For teachers: to view something with formal or social disapproval; almost exclusively used in the phrasal construction 'frown on' or 'frown upon'.

- In this office, wearing jeans to a meeting is generally frowned upon.
- The company's board of directors frowned upon the CEO's aggressive acquisition strategy, fearing it would overextend their financial reserves.

Usage: Usually occurs in the passive voice as 'is frowned upon'.

### 3. a facial expression

noun · CEFR B1

the look on your face when you move your eyebrows together.

For teachers: a facial expression characterized by the furrowing of the brow, indicating worry, anger, or deep thought.

- He had a deep frown on his face as he tried to fix the broken computer.
- A slight frown creased her forehead as she listened to the contradictory testimony provided by the witness.

Usage: Countable noun; frequently used with the verbs 'wear' or 'have'.

## Examples

- She had a deep frown on her face while reading.
- The teacher noticed the student's frown and asked if the instructions for the exam were unclear.
- A slight frown of concentration appeared on the architect's face as she scrutinized the structural flaws in the blueprint.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.