Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
facepalm en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- audio Wisconsin
- /ˈfeɪsˌpɑ(l)m/ (General-American)
- /ˈfeɪsˌpɑː(l)m/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From face + palm. Attested since at least 2001.
Meanings
-
A gesture of bringing one or both palms to the face, with various interpretations including exasperation, chagrin, frustration, embarrassment (one's own or vicarious), etc.
A look of realization crossed her face; she looked like she may have given herself a face palm if her hands weren't full.
2008, Sara Vance-Hogan, Dies Irae: Love and Friendship, page 243:“Do you think Carl Sagan might be available?” There was a mass-facepalm. “No.” they chorused.
1996 August 6, General Chaos, “SG: Slackers Anonymous #16 -- “Experienced?””, in bit.listserv.superguy (Usenet), retrieved 07 Feb 2017, message-ID <Pine.LNX.3.95.960806201148.27196D-100000@eyrie.org>:[Cue: William Tell Overture] [sound of Frank Zappa's “San Ber'dino” being played on Japanese instruments] [Kevin (the Muse): “Wargh! It SAID _William Tell!”] [Cantata11 (walking up with a koto): “Oof. Sorry. It's just that the girls had gotten warmed up to the other thingy...”] [Kevin: “William _Tell_, 11.” (facepalm)]
1996 June 6, Amy Borden, “SG: Slackers Anonymous #14”, in bit.listserv.superguy (Usenet), retrieved 07 Feb 2017, message-ID <Pine.SGI.3.91.960606231711.21356A-100000@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>:According to a study by me, this generates a multibillion facepalm for the UK economy, making everyone who considers it at least eleventy hundred pounds unhappier.
2012 July 3, Marina Hyde, “A lesson in Olymp-o-nomics”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 19 May 2025:
Forms
Coordinates
headslapper
Deriveds
facepalmy
Translations (15)
fr main sur le front (gesture) · it facepalm (gesture) · de Facepalm (gesture) · ca mà a la cara (gesture) · ko 마른세수 (gesture) · de Fazialpalmieren (gesture) · hu facepalm (gesture) · fi naamapalmu (gesture) · ru фейспа́м (gesture) · pl facepalm (gesture) · fr facepalm (gesture) · de Stirnklatsch (gesture) · ru фейспа́лм (gesture) · es palmada facial (gesture) · it mano sul volto (gesture)
facepalm en · VERB
Pronunciation
- audio Wisconsin
- /ˈfeɪsˌpɑ(l)m/ (General-American)
- /ˈfeɪsˌpɑː(l)m/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From face + palm. Attested since at least 2001.
Meanings
-
To bring the palm of one’s hand to one’s face as an expression of mixed humor and disbelief, disgust or shame; for example, when one is caught off-guard with a particularly bad pun.
“Yay! I know you! You're Nicholas Lee, the detective who got fired 'cos of us!” Nina exclaimed happily. Lee facepalmed. “Arrgh...” “Nina...” Tris muttered. “Let's quit while we're ahead, okay?”
1996 May 21, Jesse Brian Taylor, “SG: Tornado Knights #10 (2/2)”, in bit.listserv.superguy (Usenet), retrieved 07 Feb 2017, message-ID <199605220257.VAA07240@goliath.vuse>:Christie blinked, then *looked* at Steven. “Do you have any idea what might be different?” “Um... No? Christie facepalmed. “Well, her hair was red this morning, right? It's blonde now. You figure it out.”
1996 May 15, Jon Robertson, “SG: Remains #2 (2/2)”, in bit.listserv.superguy (Usenet), retrieved 07 Feb 2017, message-ID <199605160138.VAA00171@datasys.net>:
-
To bring one’s face down to one’s cupped hand or hands.
Forms
Coordinates
smack one's forehead
Relateds
🤦 · 🤦♀️ · 🤦♂️
Translations (24)
nl zich voor de kop slaan (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · cmn 掩面 (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · fr se cacher la tête dans la main (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · pl robić facepalma (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · hu kezébe temeti arcát (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · fr se taper la main sur le front (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · ja 手に顔を埋める (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · it portare il palmo della mano al volto (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · nl het gezicht in de handen verbergen (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · pl zrobić facepalma (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · ko 손바닥을 얼굴에 대다 (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · nl het gezicht in de handen verbergen (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · pl ukryć twarz w dłoniach (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · hu fogja a fejét (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · pl ukrywać twarz w dłoniach (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · de fazialpalmieren (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · ms tepuk dahi (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · fi haudata kasvonsa kämmeniinsä (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · cmn 捂臉 /捂脸 (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · fi peittää kasvonsa kämmenellään (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · sv ta sig för pannan (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · fr se taper la tête avec la main (bring the palm of the hand to the face) · ru прикры́ть лицо́ ладо́нью (bring the face to the palm of the hand) · de die Hände vors Gesicht schlagen (bring the palm of the hand to the face)