Phrase guide

laugh on the other side of one's face

verb · 1 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To experience discomfiture after displaying cockiness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, informal, intransitive

Examples

  • You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when the police find out you've been lying to them.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: hymy hyytyy — Translations
  • French: faire moins le malin — Translations
  • Irish: gáire Sheáin dóite a dhéanamh — Translations
  • Latvian: pēc lieliem smiekliem nāk gaužas asaras — Translations
  • Polish: but see wstydzić się — Translations