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Showing results for mug shot. Search instead for mug+shot.
Synonyms

mug shot

American  
Or mugshot

noun

Slang.

  1. Also called headshot.  an identifying photograph of a suspect or criminal, often one of a set showing a frontal view, a profile view, and a view of the back of the head.

  2. any closeup photograph of someone's face.

mug shot British  

noun

  1. informal a photograph of a person's face, esp one resembling a police-file picture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mug shot

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

Hostin concluded with an invitation to Trump to come on “The View: “I’ll even give you a free ‘View’ mug — not to be confused with a mug shot.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025

When it didn’t, it was devastating for him because the world saw Paul through his scary mug shot.

From Salon • May 23, 2025

The mug shot, taken in 2023, became part of US culture, adorning everything from coffee cups to T-shirts.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025

Pieces of his mug shot suit!—is a bit of a homegrown monster.

From Slate • Jul. 19, 2024

They’ll only show her mug shot on the news.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

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.