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face up to

B1 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words

To be brave enough to deal with something hard or scary instead of running away from it.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic neutral

To accept a difficult or unpleasant truth or situation honestly instead of denying or avoiding it.

"She finally faced up to the fact that her marriage was over."

"You've got to face up to the fact that you have a problem."

— The Guardian, advice column, 2010 (representative published usage)
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 idiomatic neutral

To take on responsibilities or challenges that one has been avoiding.

"It's time to face up to your responsibilities as a parent."

Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral

To deal bravely with a frightening or dangerous situation.

"He had to face up to his fears before he could move forward."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Very common in everyday English. Always requires an object (e.g., 'face up to the truth,' 'face up to your problems'). Implies both acceptance and a willingness to take action. Common in motivational and therapeutic contexts.

Commonly used with

truth reality problem responsibilities fears consequences

Forms

Base
face up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
faces up to
he/she/it
Past simple
faced up to
yesterday
Past participle
faced up to
have + pp
-ing form
facing up to
continuous

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