facing

1 of 3

noun

fac·​ing ˈfā-siŋ 

1

a

: a lining at the edge especially of a garment

b

facings plural : the collar, cuffs, and trimmings of a uniform coat

2

: an ornamental or protective layer

3

: material for facing

facing

2 of 3

adjective

1

: located directly across from something : opposite

an illustration on the facing page

2

: having the front oriented toward a specified direction or location

—usually used in combination

the east-facing windows

To maintain themselves above water, the islands must conserve their limited sand supply by moving sand to their lagoon-facing side as their seaward side is eroded by waves.

—Wade Graham

facing

3 of 3

present participle of face entry 2

Examples of facing in a Sentence

Noun

a house with brick facing

a suit with red facings at the collar and the cuffs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The French presidency is foremost an outward-facing, foreign policy position, but the issue of national security falls within its purview. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026

That list became the first thing anyone pastes in a prompt before writing anything customer-facing. — Denis Sinelnikov, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Bryon Noem was also frequently seen by her side at congressional testimony and at public facing events. — Luke Barr, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Its story in apparel is less consumer-facing than those of many recognizable brands, which reflects the behind-the-scenes role of white-label manufacturing. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from gerund of face entry 2

Adjective

from present participle of face entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing facing

• downward facing dog

Rhymes for facing

• basing
• bracing
• casing
• chasing
• gracing
• lacing
• lasing
• pacing
• placing
• racing
• spacing
• tracing

Kids Definition

facing

noun

fac·​ing ˈfā-siŋ 

1

: a lining at the edge especially of a garment

2

: an ornamental or protective layer

a house with brick facing

3

: material for facing

Medical Definition

facing

noun

fac·​ing ˈfā-siŋ 

: a front of porcelain or plastic used in dental crowns and bridgework to face the metal replacement and simulate the natural tooth