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.daily life
In some cultures, people are very careful not to lose face, especially during business meetings.IELTS speaking

Pattern: lose face (by/when/if...)

WrongHe lost his face in the meeting.

RightHe lost face in the meeting.

No 'his' — the idiom is just 'lose face' (lose respect/dignity), not literal.

Patternlose face (by/when/if...)

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff He suffered a significant diminution of public dignity.

Natural He didn't want to lose face in front of his team.

'Lose face' captures public humiliation in two words; the formal version is stiff.

Words that usually travel with it.

Opposite: 'save face', which means to avoid embarrassment or keep your reputation.