feɪs ʌp tuː
neutral
intermediate
- Base verb:
- face
- Particles:
- up to
- Separable:
- No
What does "face up to" mean?
To accept and deal with something difficult rather than avoiding it.
Examples
- You need to face up to the fact that you made a mistake.
- She finally faced up to her financial problems.
- He refused to face up to the consequences.
- It's time to face up to reality and make some changes.
How to use it
Implies courage or maturity in dealing with difficulty.
Similar expressions
confront
accept
come to terms with
Opposites
avoid
deny
run from
Related phrasal verbs
- look up to
To admire and respect someone
- live up to
To meet expectations or standards
- get up
To rise from bed after sleeping
- get back
To return to a place
- get along
To have a friendly relationship with someone
- get away
To escape from a place or person
Use it in a practice answer
Try "face up to" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.