Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FACELESS
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pronounce
FACELESS:
Say it "FACE liss."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we're checking out the word faceless, see if you can recall some similar words:
1. A threat that isn't a real threat is to___less.
2. An attempt that doesn't work is f____less.
3. A project with no leadership is r_____less.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Something faceless could, of course, be without a face: "this faceless quarter," "a faceless stick figure."
Figuratively speaking, something faceless seems bland, creepy, impersonal, and/or worthless because it has no specific human identity or character.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "a faceless competitor; "The enemy was faceless."
Other forms:
facelessly, facelessness
how to use it:
Like our word "nameless," "faceless" is a clear and simple alternative to heavier, more scholarly words. You might pick it instead of "anonymous," "nondescript," or "characterless."
It's usually pretty dramatic. You might use it to label a group of workers in uniform; a corporation or bureaucracy that lacks human warmth; or a person who shows up, unidentifiable, in your dreams or your memories. Here's Tim O'Brien: "I was once a soldier... twenty years later, I'm left with faceless responsibility and faceless grief."
examples:
"That was when the dead things in the jars began to move. A snake with unseeing milky eyes uncoiled in its alcohol-filled jar. A faceless, spiny sea creature twisted and revolved in its liquid home."
— Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book, 2008
"Samuel and his father were pushed and bunted by the water of people, pushed closer and closer... His father struggled to turn, to force his way back against the flood wave of people. 'Let us out. Please let us out. I've a child here.' The wave was faceless and it pushed without passion."
— John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952
has this page helped you understand "faceless"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "faceless" without saying "forgettable" or "unidentified."
try it out:
In Seabiscuit, Laura Hillenbrand wrote:
"Helen went back to their lodgings alone. It was a rental house in Yonkers, one of countless, faceless rental places she lived in for decades... You never stayed long enough to get a pet or a houseplant or hang any paintings."
With this rental house in mind as an example, talk about a place you've been to that seemed faceless. What could have made it seem less faceless?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Country Song, or Springer Episode?
Be warned: this month's game is in poor taste. I had so much fun creating it, so what does that say about me? And if you're good at it, what does that say about you? Oh, snap.
Country songs and Jerry Springer episodes have something in common: their self-aware, over-the-top titles. It's clear that the creators of both enjoyed poking fun at their genre. In each round of the game this month, check out a handful of titles, and see if you can decide whether each belongs to a country song or a Jerry Springer episode. For the answers, scroll all the way down.
Try these today:
1. Hillbillies on Parade
2. Stop Stealing My Boyfriends
3. Kids, a Trucker and Waffles
review this word:
1.
Figuratively speaking, the opposite of FACELESS is
A. RELATABLE.
B. IMAGINABLE.
C. IDENTIFIABLE.
2.
In her poem "This Is A _____ Brand Video," Kendra Eash writes, "Lest you think we're a faceless entity, / Look at all these attractive _____."
A. Generic .. people
B. Cutting-Edge .. circuits
C. Hipster .. bottles of sriracha
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Say it "FACE liss."
As we're checking out the word faceless, see if you can recall some similar words:
Something faceless could, of course, be without a face: "this faceless quarter," "a faceless stick figure."
Part of speech:
Like our word "nameless," "faceless" is a clear and simple alternative to heavier, more scholarly words. You might pick it instead of "anonymous," "nondescript," or "characterless."
"That was when the dead things in the jars began to move. A snake with unseeing milky eyes uncoiled in its alcohol-filled jar. A faceless, spiny sea creature twisted and revolved in its liquid home."
Explain the meaning of "faceless" without saying "forgettable" or "unidentified."
In Seabiscuit, Laura Hillenbrand wrote:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
1.
Figuratively speaking, the opposite of FACELESS is
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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