in someone's face
Idioms-
In front of or against someone directly, as in He slammed the door in her face . [First half of 1400s] Also see in the face of .
-
get in someone's face . Annoy or pester someone. For example, He's always getting in my face when I'm trying to meet a deadline . Closely related is the imperative, get out of my face , meaning “stop annoying me,” as in Get out of my face before I punch you! [ Slang ; 1920s] Also see in your face ; throw in someone's face .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At the very least, Democrats and Republicans agree that wafting cigarette smoke in someone’s face and capturing their reaction on video — without first asking — is untoward.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2025
Monkeypox, on the other hand, travels via fatter droplets that immediately fall to the ground, which is why you’d really need to be up in someone’s face for the virus to spread this way.
From Slate • Aug. 6, 2022
It's the social media equivalent of spitting in someone's face: So gross it's bound to get a reaction.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2022
Steelers fan waves his/her Terrible Towel in someone’s face.
From Fox News • Oct. 4, 2021
Some news reporters are there, but every time they try to stick a microphone in someone’s face, the person just waves them away.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
