Phrase guide

game face

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The expression of one who is prepared for or is facing a lot of difficult and/or undesirable work, especially when it is imminent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The editor told his star reporter to put his game face on, because he was going to cover a potentially hours-long city council meeting where they were going to discuss the controversial issue and tempers were expected to flare.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A facial expression used to prevent giving away one's emotions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.