Sample Sentences for
countenance
grouped by contextual meaning
(editor-reviewed)

countenance as in:  a pleasant countenance

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She has a pleasant countenance.
countenance = facial expression; or face
Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
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    Her countenance grew stern.
    countenance = facial expression
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    Miss Maudie answered: "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance!"  (source)
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    Quite plainly he had a distaste for the duty at hand, but his stern soldierly countenance did not soften.  (source)
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Show 10 more with 2 word variations
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    One word or look from you ... and I'll tear the countenance from the front of your head.  (source)
    countenance = face or facial expression
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    The countenances of many a parishioner reflected shock and insult, as if the Lord Jesus had just spat in their faces—to deem them sacrilegious.†  (source)
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    "Wonderful animal, the good servant. Carries on with an impassive countenance."  (source)
    countenance = facial expression; or composure
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    "So this is England," she said, as she looked round with childlike curiosity at the great hearth, the oak rafters, and the yokels with their elaborate smocks and jovial, rubicund, British countenances.†  (source)
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    Boxer looked at Napoleon to know whether he should crush the dog to death or let it go. Napoleon appeared to change countenance, and sharply ordered Boxer to let the dog go, whereat Boxer lifted his hoof, and the dog slunk away, bruised and howling.  (source)
    countenance = facial expression
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    A tentative list of the material requirements for this assignment lay on the conference table, surrounded by many grave countenances.†  (source)
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    Scrooge's countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost's had done.  (source)
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    When she began to look at people's actual countenances there was no more familiarity in the world for her.†  (source)
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    His countenance expressed sympathy and compassion;  (source)
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    The twelve faces before him had a variety of countenances, but there was something, neither color nor feature, upon all of them, as a common denominator, something that dissolved their expressions, so that they were not faces any longer but only empty ovals of flesh.†  (source)
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countenance as in:  giving countenance

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We will not countenance torture.
countenance = to tolerate or approve
Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
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    They countenance terrorism.
    countenance = show favor for
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    Sethe's crime was staggering and her pride outstripped even that; but she could not countenance the possibility of sin moving on in the house, unleashed and sassy.  (source)
    countenance = tolerate or approve
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    "I cannot possibly countenance any such inconsistent proceeding," chimed in the Dowager Ingram.  (source)
    countenance = accept or permit
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Show 10 more with 7 word variations
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    This was extravagant and not to be countenanced.  (source)
    countenanced = tolerated
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    I've had my doubts about that imagination of yours right along, and if this is going to be the outcome of it, I won't countenance any such doings.  (source)
    countenance = tolerate or permit
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    Jean Louise's aunt often held up Cousin Joshua to her as a family example not lightly to be discountenanced: he was a splendid figure of a man, he was a poet, he was cut off in his prime, and Jean Louise would do well to remember that he was a credit to the family.†  (source)
    standard prefix: The prefix "dis-" in discountenanced reverses the meaning of countenanced. This is the same pattern as seen in words like disagree, disconnect, and disappear.
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    For the launch of the First Five-Year Plan, Bukharin's fall from grace, and the expansion of the Criminal Code to allow the arrest of anyone even countenancing dissension, these were only tidings, omens, underpinnings.†  (source)
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    I will speak in spite of all the intimidations, or threats, or discountenances that may be thrown upon me.†  (source)
    standard prefix: The prefix "dis-" in discountenances reverses the meaning of countenances. This is the same pattern as seen in words like disagree, disconnect, and disappear.
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    It was on Isabel's invitation she had come, and she imparted all due dignity to the girl's uncountenanced state.†  (source)
    standard prefix: The prefix "un-" in uncountenanced means not and reverses the meaning of countenanced. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
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    discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned;†  (source)
    standard prefix: The prefix "dis-" in discountenancing reverses the meaning of countenance. This is the same pattern as seen in words like disagree, disconnect, and disappear.
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    ...there was room for wonder why she had countenanced deception at all,  (source)
    countenanced = approved
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    ...society was inclined to show its former victim a more benign countenance than she cared to be favoured with, or, perchance, than she deserved.  (source)
    countenance = toleration or support
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    'Mrs' was a word somewhat discountenanced by the Party — you were supposed to call everyone 'comrade' — but with some women one used it instinctively.†  (source)
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