facelift
noun
face·lift
ˈfās-ˌlift 
variants
or face lift
or face-lift
plural facelifts or face lifts or face-lifts
1
: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)
[Robert] Redford's publicist of 33 years, Lois Smith, denies her client has had any sort of facelift, eye job or chemical peel. "He's never, never, never had cosmetic surgery," she says.—
People Weekly
People WeeklyMany face lifts last between five and 10 years, but the procedure can cause hematomas, bleeding and nerve damage …—Mary Murphy
Mary MurphyTechnically, a face-lift "lifts" both the face and the neck, and many plastic surgeons believe the neck shows the more dramatic improvement.—Vogue
Vogue2
: an alteration, restoration, or restyling (as of a building) intended especially to modernize
The facelift was intended to return the 95-year-old hall's acclaimed acoustics to original purity …—US News & World Report
US News & World ReportOver time, the building was given a $15 million face lift, which created a new entrance on Fifth Avenue, subdued but plush interiors and escalators.—Carrie Donovan
Carrie DonovanAll 48 models from kids bikes to $3,000 racing bikes were redesigned … and each got a color and graphics face-lift.—Laura Loro
Laura Loro
facelift
transitive verb
or face-lift
or less commonly face lift
facelifted or face-lifted also face lifted; facelifting or face-lifting also face lifting; facelifts or face-lifts also face lifts
… said she would like to add more parking and continue to work on facelifting the venue.
—Dean Manning
Dean Manning
… a former vaudeville palace recently face-lifted into a glittering performing arts center.
—Priit Vesilind
Priit Vesilind
Examples of facelift in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After receiving a transformative grant from the city’s Department of Planning and Development to refurbish its space, Intuit took its facelift as an opportunity to rebrand.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
The procedures listed include breast augmentations, tummy tucks and yes, facelifts whether that be mini (short scar) facelifts or full facelifts, both of which address signs of aging like sagging skin, loose jowls and creases.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 23 May 2025
Fresh Face Photograph: Google Android is getting a facelift with a new design language called Material 3 Expressive, and the emphasis this time is on personalization.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 13 May 2025
After extensive testing around the Nurburgring, the car embarked on a 15 year production run with a mid-life facelift in 2002 to ditch the pop-up headlights.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Then, after first-round losses in 2022 (against Tampa) and last season (Boston) — and a very short, underwhelming trip to Round 2 in 2023 (Florida) — those folks hoped that maybe, finally, the core would get a facelift last summer.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Even the outdoor areas have gotten a facelift, with new furnishings, patio umbrellas and recanvassed cabanas surrounded by fresh greenery.
—David Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Rafael Luhrs/Courtesy of Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta All 244 guest rooms in the resort’s North Tower got a facelift, featuring new interior design elements such as custom woodwork, upgraded ocean-view balconies, and sliding glass doors.
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
Traditional cruise ships are also getting a facelift.
—Jessica Benavides Canepa, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
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Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2025
The procedures listed include breast augmentations, tummy tucks and yes, facelifts whether that be mini (short scar) facelifts or full facelifts, both of which address signs of aging like sagging skin, loose jowls and creases.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 23 May 2025
Fresh Face Photograph: Google Android is getting a facelift with a new design language called Material 3 Expressive, and the emphasis this time is on personalization.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 13 May 2025
After extensive testing around the Nurburgring, the car embarked on a 15 year production run with a mid-life facelift in 2002 to ditch the pop-up headlights.
—Trinity Francis, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Then, after first-round losses in 2022 (against Tampa) and last season (Boston) — and a very short, underwhelming trip to Round 2 in 2023 (Florida) — those folks hoped that maybe, finally, the core would get a facelift last summer.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Even the outdoor areas have gotten a facelift, with new furnishings, patio umbrellas and recanvassed cabanas surrounded by fresh greenery.
—David Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Rafael Luhrs/Courtesy of Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta All 244 guest rooms in the resort’s North Tower got a facelift, featuring new interior design elements such as custom woodwork, upgraded ocean-view balconies, and sliding glass doors.
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025
Traditional cruise ships are also getting a facelift.
—Jessica Benavides Canepa, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Facelift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facelift. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
facelift
noun
face·lift
variants
or face lift
or face-lift
: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)
called also rhytidectomy
facelift
transitive verb
or face-lift
also face lift
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