mugshot
2 synonyms for mugshot, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A photograph of a person's face taken by the police after an arrest, usually from the front and the side, and kept on record.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
police photograph
booking photo
How to use mugshot
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
release a mugshot
mugshot photo
booking photo
take his mugshot
Informal but universally understood, and used in news reporting. Also written mug shot as two words.
Etymology
A compound of mug, slang for the face since the early eighteenth century — generally traced to drinking mugs moulded into grotesque faces — and shot in the sense of a photograph.
Full origin of mugshot →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a mugshot and a headshot?
A mugshot is taken by police during booking after an arrest and forms part of a criminal record. A headshot is a deliberately flattering professional portrait used for acting, modelling or business profiles.
Does having a mugshot mean someone was convicted?
No. Mugshots are taken at the point of arrest and booking, long before any trial, so a person photographed may later be released without charge or found not guilty. This is why publishing them is legally and ethically contested in many places.
