frown

American  

[froun] / fraʊn /

verb (used without object)

1. to contract the brow, as in displeasure or deep thought; scowl.

   Synonyms:

   gloom, lower, glower

2. to look displeased; have an angry look.

3. to view with disapproval; look disapprovingly (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to frown upon a scheme.

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verb (used with object)

1. to express by a frown.

   to frown one's displeasure.

2. to force or shame with a disapproving frown.

   to frown someone into silence.

noun

1. a frowning look; scowl.

2. any expression or show of disapproval.

   a tax bill that received Congressional frowns.

frown British  

/ fraʊn /

verb

1. (intr) to draw the brows together and wrinkle the forehead, esp in worry, anger, or concentration

2. (intr; foll by on or upon) to have a dislike (of); look disapprovingly (upon)

   the club frowned upon political activity by its members

3. (tr) to express (worry, etc) by frowning

4. to force, silence, etc, by a frowning look

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noun

1. the act of frowning

2. a show of dislike or displeasure

Other Word Forms

• frowner
  noun
• frowningly
  adverb
• half-frowning
  adjective
• half-frowningly
  adverb
• unfrowning
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of frown

1350–1400; Middle English frounen < Old French froignier, derivative of froigne surly expression, probably < Gaulish *frognā; compare Welsh ffroen, Old Breton fron nostril, Old Irish srón nose < Celtic *srognā or *sroknā

Explanation

If you frown at someone, you look at them with disapproval, and if you frown on something they do, you don't approve of that either. Because you frown on smoking, you probably frown at smokers too! The distant ancestors of frown, the ones that came long before Old French, meant "nose." Think about the expression, to look down one's nose at someone or something, which means "to disapprove of." If you have a frown on your face, you definitely don't like what you see! Sometimes when you're thinking hard about something, you might frown, but that is probably more of an expression of concentration than disapproval.

Example Sentences

“Smiling is the true answer. Smiling, you don’t get the wrinkles. Frown, you get a wrinkle,” says Warwick.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2021

Rather than exploring expressions beyond Big Happy Smile and Sad Little Frown, more attention is paid to the plastic-looking toys, er, cars and trucks.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2021

Frown lines are a lot more distracting when they’re 10 feet long.

From Washington Post • Mar. 18, 2016

I. Roar, raging torrent! and thou, mighty river, Pour thy white foam on the valley below; Frown, ye dark mountains! and shadow for ever The deep rocky bed where the wild rapids flow.

From The Culprit Fay and Other Poems by Drake, Joseph Rodman

Frown not, brother, now, but hie thee   To thy chamber’s distant room; Drown the odours of the ledger   With the lavender’s perfume.

From The Bon Gaultier Ballads by Doyle, Richard

Related Words

• glare
• glower
• grimace
• pout