furrowed brow

Meaning

1. 1nouncountable

   A forehead drawn into deep lines or wrinkles, usually because someone is worried, thinking hard or displeased.

   Grammar: Usually singular with an or his/her: she looked up with a furrowed brow.

   Patterns

   • with a furrowed brow
   • a furrowed brow of worry

   The doctor studied the chart with a furrowed brow.

   He read the long contract with a furrowed brow, checking every clause.

   Her furrowed brow showed that she did not like the answer.

Word forms

Common combinations

with a furrowed brow

She stared at the map with a furrowed brow.

a deeply furrowed brow

The old farmer had a deeply furrowed brow from years of squinting at the sun.

furrowed brow of concern

His furrowed brow of concern told me bad news was coming.

give a furrowed brow

The strange noise gave him a furrowed brow.

a permanently furrowed brow

Years of worry had left her with a permanently furrowed brow.

Synonyms and how they differ

frown

Frown is the general word for an unhappy or serious look, while furrowed brow names the wrinkling of the forehead specifically.

scowl

Scowl is angrier and more hostile than a furrowed brow, which often shows worry or deep thought.

knitted brow

This is nearly identical in meaning but sounds a little more literary and suggests the brows drawn tightly together.

wrinkled forehead

This is a plain description of the physical lines, while furrowed brow suggests a feeling behind them.

Opposites

Word family

furrow verb

to make deep lines, as in the forehead or soil

furrow noun

a long narrow groove in the ground or a deep wrinkle

furrowed adjective

marked with deep lines

brow noun

the forehead or the ridge above the eyes

Commonly confused: furrowed brow or furry brow?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “furrowed brow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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