countenance

23 synonyms and 2 antonyms for countenance, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A person's face or facial expression, especially as it reveals their mood.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

boat face favor look map pan let allow permit

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

dial mug

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

complexion chevy chase ecaf George Best eek kisser mush physiognomy phiz phizog punim visage

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A person's face or facial expression, especially as it reveals their mood.

“His calm countenance gave away nothing about the bad news he carried.”

boat complexion chevy chase dial ecaf George Best eek face favor kisser look map mug mush pan physiognomy phiz phizog punim visage

2. verb

To approve of, tolerate, or support something.

“The company refused to countenance any form of harassment.”

let allow permit

Opposites

discourage oppose

Etymology

From Old French contenance, ultimately related to Latin continentia — a distant relative of "continence."

Full origin of countenance →

Frequently asked questions

What does “countenance” mean?

The word “countenance” means a person's face or facial expression, especially as it reveals their mood. In plain terms, someone's facial expression — or, as a verb, to approve of or allow something.

How do you pronounce “countenance”?

“Countenance” is pronounced KOWN-tuh-nuhns (/ˈkaʊn.tə.nəns/ in IPA).

How do you use “countenance” in a sentence?

Here is “countenance” used in a sentence: “His calm countenance gave away nothing about the bad news he carried.”

What is another word for “countenance”?

Words with a similar meaning to “countenance” include boat, complexion, chevy chase, dial, ecaf and George Best.

What part of speech is “countenance”?

Depending on how it is used, “countenance” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “countenance” come from?

The word “countenance” comes from Latin. From Old French contenance, ultimately related to Latin continentia — a distant relative of "continence.".

How many meanings does “countenance” have?

“Countenance” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person's face or facial expression, especially as it reveals their mood.

People also searched

look let face allow map boat favor Pan permit oppose dial mug

Nearby words

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