FROWNING Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

frowning 1 of 2

adjective

as in scowling

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Dissimilar Words

frowning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of frown

as in glaring

to look with anger or disapproval the boss just stood there and frowned at his assistant who, once again, was in trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of frowning

Adjective

Balogun then looked over at a frowning Ream, who had just finished urging his teammates to be sure to stop and smell the flowers along this World Cup journey. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

Verb

This focuses readers on the all-black uniforms of the veiled pupils, who—in a long frame at the center of the page—sit between the looming, frowning teacher on the right and Marji on the left, who stands up to explain that her uncle was executed by the Islamic regime. — Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026 Hubbard posted an image of herself with a disgusted look on her face from earlier in Season 10, while Dillard shared a photo of himself frowning, also from a scene in the show. — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026 Subscribers and consumer advocates may be frowning on Netflix’s latest price hikes, but Wall Street is celebrating the move. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026 Many of the drawings show faces, and most of the faces are frowning. — Mckenzie Funk, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2026 The men stood frowning at each other and then back at Adi until the one without the gun broke into croaks of laughter. — Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 Smiling can actually lift your mood, while frowning can lower it. — Valerie Monroe, Allure, 15 Jan. 2026 One mask depicts a frowning hobo with a 5 o'clock shadow that represents the aforementioned vagrant. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for frowning

Adjective

The video, which has garnered over 70,000 views as of Wednesday, opens with a scowling Donalds, sitting behind the governor’s desk one year into his hypothetical first term.

— Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026

Definition of scowling

Adjective

Nights can be a sullen cycle of sleep, showering and opening a window — only to close it later to block out the urban noise.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
The pilot is charming and funny, immediately drawing me into the dynamic of its two characters — Romy is a bit more gregarious and sarcastic, Bobby more sensitive and sullen.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

Definition of sullen

Verb

Finkelstein is also part of another program that will attempt to re-create Hubble and JWST’s famous deep-field images, which revealed millions of previously unseen galaxies by staring at seemingly empty patches of sky.

— Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
When producer Robert Stigwood initially approached him about staring in the Sgt.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of staring

Adjective

The above style is an absolute staple, and the mid-blue wash goes with everything—I’m already picturing it with a gray cashmere sweater.

— Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
The Dessens of every dimension — and all the other major characters, for that matter — are not the most colorful bunch, and the sober tone of the early episodes, such as the slate-gray Chicago winters, could have an unwelcome heaviness.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026