IN YOUR FACE Definition & Meaning

in your face

[ in yoor feys ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

idiom

Informal.

Also in-your-face.
1. seeming to express or invite confrontation; defiant, militant, or provocative:
  His political commentary is always in your face.
  Something drives him to break every rule, and to do it with a deep-down, in-your-face belligerence.
2. displayed or advertised flagrantly, obtrusively, or forcefully:
  Everywhere you go, alcohol is in your face.
3. (of a color, flavor, or the like) strong or vivid; bold rather than subtle:
  The brew has a huge, in-your-face hop flavor, but very little bitterness.
in a provocative, flagrant, or bold way:
They’re so brazen—they do their cheating in your face, daring you to do something about it.
(used as an exclamation to tease someone or flaunt something in a confrontational way):
In your face, Cougars—we won!

in-your-face

adjective

slang.
aggressive and confrontational
provocative in-your-face activism

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of in your face¹

First recorded in 1985–90

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Idioms and Phrases

Defiantly confrontational; also, an exclamation of contempt. For example, This show is not suitable for youngsters; its attitude about sex is in your face , or In your face, mister! This slangy expression originated in the 1970s in basketball as a phrase of contempt used against the opposing team and was extended to other areas by the mid-1980s.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Dr Kirtley said the sound had prevented her from sleeping properly for several weeks, adding: "It's impossible to ignore - it is like somebody shouting in your face constantly for attention."

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Everton will work hard, of course, but they are also very capable of winning this if they are as 'in your face' as they can be, and upset City's rhythm.

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I was like, ‘Why would I call you? If I was your teammate, all the stuff I said on TV, that’s exactly what I would say to you in your face.’

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“It seems like we’ve kind of been living through that, one of those periods where it’s a little more prevalent, in your face. That word gets thrown around, and I think it’s an appropriate descriptor.”

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It is constantly in your face.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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