facade

facade — noun

1. The outermost front section of a structure, particularly one given an ornamental

1.nounB2
Definition

The outermost front section of a structure, particularly one given an ornamental or stately treatment.

Example

The hotel's marble facade was decorated with tall columns and carved flowers.

collocation: marble facade / stone facade

Workers spent two years restoring the stone facade of the old theater.

collocation: restore the facade

Common collocations
  • marble facade
  • stone facade
  • glass facade
  • front facade
  • restore the facade
  • ornate facade
  • the facade of the building
Synonyms
  • front

    Simpler, everyday word; facade implies a more decorative or intentional architectural treatment.

  • face

    Less common in modern everyday English for buildings; more poetic or technical.

Grammar Patterns

facade + of + building/place

the + facade + of + [building]

Usage Note

Refers specifically to the principal front face of a building, not the sides or rear. Most commonly used when the front is architecturally notable or deliberately designed to impress.

Common Mistakes

The back facade of the house faces the garden.
The back of the house faces the garden.
Facade means the front of a building, not the back or the side.

2. A way of behaving or presenting yourself that hides your true feelings, problems

2.nounB2
Definition

A way of behaving or presenting yourself that hides your true feelings, problems, or the real nature of a situation.

Example

Behind her cheerful facade, Lara was struggling with serious money problems.

pattern: behind [possessive] facade

The company's eco-friendly image was just a facade to hide its polluting factories.

pattern: a facade to hide [something]

Common collocations
  • a facade of calm
  • a facade of confidence
  • a facade of respectability
  • behind the facade
  • maintain a facade
  • put up a facade
  • keep up a facade
  • drop the facade
Synonyms
  • pretense

    Focuses more on the act of pretending than on the outer image; slightly more formal.

  • veneer

    Suggests a thin, attractive outer layer covering something plain or cheap underneath; often used with positive qualities (a veneer of sophistication).

  • mask

    Stronger sense of hiding one's true feelings; more personal and emotional.

  • front

    Can be neutral (a brave front) or deceptive (it's just a front); more informal than facade.

Antonyms
  • honesty

    Opposite in the sense of revealing rather than hiding true feelings.

Grammar Patterns

a facade of + [abstract noun]

behind + possessive + facade

maintain/put up + a facade

Usage Note

Often followed by 'of' plus an abstract noun describing the quality being faked (a facade of calm / confidence / respectability). The word carries a mildly negative connotation, suggesting deliberate deception rather than innocent shyness.

Common Mistakes

He has a facade of being friendly.
He puts up a facade of being friendly.
Facade usually appears with verbs like 'put up', 'maintain', or 'create' that imply deliberate effort.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Facade, pretense, veneer, mask, and front all describe a mismatch between appearance and reality. Facade (borrowed from architecture) suggests a deliberately constructed and maintained false image meant to hide flaws or problems — it is the most natural word in this group for general use. Pretense emphasizes the act of pretending, with more focus on behaviour than on outer image, and is slightly more formal (e.g., 'under the pretense of friendship'). Veneer suggests a thin attractive layer covering something plain or cheap underneath, often paired with positive qualities ('a veneer of sophistication'). Mask implies something worn to conceal personal emotions, with a stronger sense of individual effort ('a mask of indifference'). Front can be neutral ('put up a brave front') or deceptive ('it's all just a front'), and is more informal than the others. For a learner, facade is the safest choice for describing an inauthentic public image.

facadepretenseveneermaskfront

Common collocations

Nouns

  • building facade
  • glass facade
  • facade of calm
  • facade of confidence

Adverbs

  • merely a facade
  • only a facade
  • outwardly a facade

Phrases

  • maintain a facade
  • put up a facade
  • keep up a facade
  • drop the facade
  • hide behind a facade

Prepositions

  • facade of
  • behind the facade
  • beneath the facade

Etymology

FrenchItalianLatinEnglish

Borrowed from French 'façade' in the 1650s, originally used only in architecture. The French word comes from Italian 'facciata', which is built from 'faccia' (face), from Latin 'facies' (face, appearance). The figurative meaning — a false or deceptive outward appearance — developed in English by the mid-1800s.