facelift

USAGE SUMMARY

'facelift' is a correct and usable word in written English
It is typically used to describe a process that involves surgical operations to improve the appearance of a person's face. For example, "The actress underwent a facelift to look younger."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Good news, Australian royalists: the national capital's most imposing, though perhaps least aesthetic, monument, the King George V memorial, is undergoing a facelift.

The Guardian

Marseille enjoyed the limelight when it was crowned European Capital of Culture 2013 – cue the largest urban renewal project in southern Europe with a budget of €7bn, including a facelift for the Vieux-Port.

The Guardian - Travel

It's getting a facelift soon, but for now it remains the grim, dirty-looking building that once saw it voted among the ugliest in Bristol.

The Guardian

Look at us as us, rather than little women!" Related: The WI at 100: new generation gives the 'knitting and bake sales' stalwart a facelift As Tony Blair famously discovered in 2000 when a speech deemed to be patronising and overly party political was roundly booed, it does not do to underestimate the WI.

The Guardian

Grand Anse's Spice Island Beach Resort, owned by the wonderfully charismatic Sir Royston O Hopkin, had a $6m facelift in 2000.

The Guardian - Travel

Instead of a flurry of excuses from said parent and a hasty deposition of the phone, the parent responded (and I am paraphrasing): "If you spent more time getting a facelift and less time bothering people like me, then you'd be a great deal more effective as a teacher".

The Guardian

It is known for the "Croydon facelift", a painfully awkward hairstyle, as well as for being the setting of "Peep Show", a TV sitcom featuring painfully awkward characters.

The Economist

As a former student rebel, he spent part of the 1970s exiled in Cuba and the rest living clandestinely in Brazil (thanks to a facelift and a spook's discretion) until a political amnesty was declared in 1979.

The Economist

He spent £40,000 on a bad facelift in Paris, and £55,000 on a package deal that got him a good fake passport and airline tickets to anywhere in the world.

The Economist

The popularity of the experience curve began to wane, and BCG gave it a facelift through the notion of "time-based competition".

The Economist

These lasers are also used to treat acne, remove hair and deal with unsightly veins.Last year Thermage, an American firm, launched the "scalpel-free facelift", with a new device that uses radiofrequency to heat up the skin's collagen, which then tightens the face.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In medical contexts, reserve "facelift" for general communication and use "rhytidectomy" for formal clinical documentation.

Common error

Avoid using "facelift" when the changes described are fundamental or structural. If you are changing the entire foundation of a project or the internal logic of a software, terms like "re-engineering" or "reconstruction" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The word "facelift" primarily functions as a noun, though it is increasingly used as a verb in informal business contexts. According to Ludwig AI, it is a versatile term that bridges the gap between medical terminology and general metaphorical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Social Media

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "facelift" is a robust and widely accepted term in modern English. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency across a variety of authoritative domains. While its origin lies in plastic surgery, its metaphorical application to architecture, business and digital platforms is now its most common use in journalism. Writers should feel confident using it to describe visual updates, but they must remain mindful of the distinction between superficial changes and deep structural ones. Whether you are describing a city center's renewal or a software's new interface, "facelift" remains a clear and impactful choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rhytidectomy

The technical medical term used in strictly clinical or scientific settings

revamp

Focuses more on the improvement of a system, brand or organization structure

makeover

Often used for individual appearances or home interiors in a less formal context

nip and tuck

A more informal or colloquial way to refer to minor cosmetic surgery

renovation

Used specifically for buildings or physical structures requiring repair

overhaul

Implies a more thorough examination and repair than a superficial change

refurbishment

Suggests cleaning, redecorating and re-equipping a space

remodel

Implies changing the structure or layout rather than just the surface

update

A generic term for bringing something up to current standards

restoration

Implies returning something to its original or former glory

FAQs

How to use "facelift" in a sentence?

You can use it literally, as in "The celebrity decided to get a "facelift" to look younger," or figuratively, such as "The company website is getting a "facelift" this month."

What is a formal synonym for "facelift"?

In a medical context, you can use ""rhytidectomy"", while in a business context, "revamp" or "refurbishment" are excellent choices.

Is "facelift" one word or two?

It is most commonly written as one word, "facelift", though some older sources may use the two-word form "face lift".

What's the difference between "facelift" and "renovation"?

A "facelift" usually refers to aesthetic or cosmetic improvements, whereas a "renovation" often involves structural repairs and more extensive work on a building.