in your face

[ in yoor feys ]

idiom

, Informal.

1. Also in-your-face.
   1. seeming to express or invite confrontation; defiant, militant, or provocative:

      His political commentary is always in your face.

      Something drives him to break every rule, and to do it with a deep-down, in-your-face belligerence.

   2. displayed or advertised flagrantly, obtrusively, or forcefully:

      Everywhere you go, alcohol is in your face.

   3. (of a color, flavor, or the like) strong or vivid; bold rather than subtle:

      The brew has a huge, in-your-face hop flavor, but very little bitterness.

2. in a provocative, flagrant, or bold way:

   They’re so brazen—they do their cheating in your face, daring you to do something about it.

3. (used as an exclamation to tease someone or flaunt something in a confrontational way):

   In your face, Cougars—we won!

in-your-face

adjective

1. slang.
   aggressive and confrontational

   provocative in-your-face activism

Word History and Origins

Origin of in your face¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Idioms and Phrases

Defiantly confrontational; also, an exclamation of contempt. For example, This show is not suitable for youngsters; its attitude about sex is in your face , or In your face, mister! This slangy expression originated in the 1970s in basketball as a phrase of contempt used against the opposing team and was extended to other areas by the mid-1980s.