English Explanatory Dictionary

facepalm

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A gesture of bringing one or both palms to the face, with various interpretations including exasperation, chagrin, frustration, embarrassment (one's own or vicarious), etc.
verb
  1. To bring the palm of one’s hand to one’s face as an expression of mixed humor and disbelief, disgust or shame; for example, when one is caught off-guard with a particularly bad pun.
  2. To bring one’s face down to one’s cupped hand or hands.

Pronunciation

/ˈfeɪsˌpɑː(l)m/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-facepalm.wav

Word forms

facepalm facepalms face-palm face palm facepalming facepalmed

Etymology

From face + palm. Attested since at least 2001.

Related words

🤦 🤦♀️ 🤦♂️

Derived words

facepalmy

Translations

Dutch: het gezicht in de handen verbergen Finnish: haudata kasvonsa kämmeniinsä French: se cacher la tête dans la main Hungarian: kezébe temeti arcát Polish: ukrywać twarz w dłoniach Polish: ukryć twarz w dłoniach Russian: прикры́ть лицо́ ладо́нью
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