facelift

noun

face·​lift ˈfās-ˌlift 

variants or face lift or face-lift

plural facelifts or face lifts or face-lifts

1

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)

[Robert] Redford's publicist of 33 years, Lois Smith, denies her client has had any sort of facelift, eye job or chemical peel. "He's never, never, never had cosmetic surgery," she says.

—People Weekly

Many face lifts last between five and 10 years, but the procedure can cause hematomas, bleeding and nerve damage …

—Mary Murphy

Technically, a face-lift "lifts" both the face and the neck, and many plastic surgeons believe the neck shows the more dramatic improvement.

—Vogue

2

: an alteration, restoration, or restyling (as of a building) intended especially to modernize

The facelift was intended to return the 95-year-old hall's acclaimed acoustics to original purity …

—US News & World Report

Over time, the building was given a $15 million face lift, which created a new entrance on Fifth Avenue, subdued but plush interiors and escalators.

—Carrie Donovan

All 48 models from kids bikes to $3,000 racing bikes were redesigned … and each got a color and graphics face-lift.

—Laura Loro

facelift transitive verb

or face-lift or less commonly face lift

facelifted or face-lifted also face lifted; facelifting or face-lifting also face lifting; facelifts or face-lifts also face lifts

… said she would like to add more parking and continue to work on facelifting the venue.

—Dean Manning

… a former vaudeville palace recently face-lifted into a glittering performing arts center.

—Priit Vesilind

Examples of facelift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For its golden anniversary, Facets is getting a marketing facelift. —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025

The legendary arcade shooter gets a graphical facelift. —Gabriel Zamora, PCMAG, 22 Jan. 2025

Yesterday, Tesla revealed a facelift for its bestselling Model Y crossover. —Ars Technica, 10 Jan. 2025

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is getting a $10 million facelift. —Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025

For years, Lake Forest city officials have talked about putting a facelift on Deerpath Road. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025

After a miserable year for the run defense, Morgan is hoping to give the trenches a facelift in free agency and the draft. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2025

Related article Walmart’s logo got its first facelift in nearly 20 years Walmart, America’s biggest employer, has an outsized impact on the labor market for hourly workers. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025

The expansion plans include adding a new bedroom, expanding the bathrooms, and giving the existing kitchen a facelift. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

face-lift

noun

ˈfā-ˌslift

1

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove defects and imperfections (as wrinkles or sagging skin)

2

: an alteration, restoration, or remodeling (as of a building) intended especially to make more modern

face-lift verb

Medical Definition

facelift

noun

face·​lift

variants or face lift or face-lift

ˈfā-ˌslift 

: plastic surgery on the face and neck to remove or reduce signs of aging (such as wrinkles or sagging skin)

called also rhytidectomy

facelift transitive verb

or face-lift also face lift