1 A2 neutral
To be positioned or placed with the face, front, or main surface pointing upward.
"Deal the cards face up so everyone can see them."
face up
B1 neutral transitive/intransitive
Positioned with the face, front, or surface turned upward; also used informally to mean to be honest or confront something.
In plain English
Turned so the front part is pointing up toward the sky.
What does "face up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To confront or accept a difficult situation honestly (usually appears as 'face up to').
"You need to face up and admit that the project has failed."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To turn something so its face or front points upward.
Actually means
Turned so the front part is pointing up toward the sky.
Usage tip
Most commonly used as an adjective/adverb to describe physical position (e.g., 'lying face up'). As a phrasal verb meaning to confront something, it almost always appears in the fuller form 'face up to.' See also 'face up to' as a separate entry.
Words that pair with "face up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
card coin surface position lie turn
How to conjugate "face up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
face up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
faces up
he/she/it
Past simple
faced up
yesterday
Past participle
faced up
have + pp
-ing form
facing up
continuous
Hear "face up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "face up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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