Grammar fix
lose face
be embarrassed or lose respect
To be embarrassed or to lose the respect of others, especially in a public situation.
collocationB2occasional
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
He didn’t want to lose face in front of his colleagues by admitting he was wrong.
In some cultures, people are very careful not to lose face, especially during business meetings.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He lost his face in the meeting.
Say: He lost face in the meeting.
No 'his' — the idiom is just 'lose face' (lose respect/dignity), not literal.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Lose face' captures public humiliation in two words; the formal version is stiff.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
lose face
- without
- save
- in front of
- avoid