face-first

adverb

ˌfās-ˈfərst How to pronounce face-first (audio)
: with the face foremost
hit the wall face-first
face-first adjective

Examples of face-first in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But its last-ditch effort for some positive news on prices has run face-first into a brick wall this week. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Young, who landed face-first in the dirt, reportedly was briefly knocked unconscious during the sixth-inning incident at Citi Field. — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 An older man to my right tripped and took a face-first dive across the pavement, glasses flying off his face. — Timothy Townsend, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 The inning included a Tristan Peters solo home run, which occurred when Carson Benge ran face-first into the fence in right field. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for face-first

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of face-first was in 1880

Rhymes for face-first

See All Rhymes for face-first

Browse Nearby Words

face facts
face-first
face flannel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Face-first.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-first. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

face-first

adverb
ˌfās-ˈfərst
: with the face leading the body
hit the ground face-first
face-first adjective
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