save face
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He becomes desperate to protect himself from it and tries to save face, saying “I guess I shouldn’t have had that last Cheez-It this morning.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
"It feels like it's been drawn up on the back of a paper napkin, just so that they can save face and come across as being more reasonable."
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2026
"Both sides need to be able to claim victory and save face, whatever deal they agree on," a diplomat based in the Middle East told AFP on condition of anonymity.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
To save face with her fellow pensioners, Mrs. Palfrey passes off a struggling writer she meets on the street as her grandson, only to draw confusingly close to him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
Carla shook her head, and her mother explained to the officer, helping her save face, "She doesn't remember."
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
