What Is Saving Face?

: to avoid having other people lose respect for oneself He tried to save face by working overtime.

What are examples of saving face?

The definition of face saving is something done to try to lessen embarrassment or to make one's self look better in a situation where a person is embarrassed or made to look bad. An example of face saving is saying "Oh I was going to break up with her anyway" after your girlfriend dumps you.

What does save my face mean?

Avoid humiliation or embarrassment, preserve dignity, as in Rather than fire him outright, they let him save face by accepting his resignation. The phrase, which uses face in the sense of “outward appearances,” is modeled on the antonym lose face. [ Late 1800s]