Meaning & use
impish face
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A face whose expression suggests playful, slightly naughty mischief.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an impish face' or 'impish faces'.
Patterns
- have an impish face
- with an impish face
- an impish face grinned at someone
The child turned toward me with an impish face, clearly pleased with the trick.
He has an impish face that makes it hard to tell when he is serious.
She pulled an impish face behind the teacher's back.
Word forms
| plural | impish faces |
|---|
Common combinations
- an impish grin
- He gave an impish grin and hid the last cookie.
- an impish expression
- Her impish expression warned me she was planning something.
- an impish smile
- The boy's impish smile made everyone laugh.
- pull an impish face
- The toddler pulled an impish face at the camera.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mischievous face
- Very close in meaning, but 'mischievous' can also suggest real harm or trouble, while 'impish' is lighter and more playful.
- puckish face
- Literary and stronger, suggesting a magical or sprite-like quality; 'impish' is more common in everyday description.
- elfin face
- Focuses on delicate, small features rather than on a naughty expression.
Opposites
Word family
- imp noun
- A small mischievous creature, or a naughty child.
- impishly adverb
- In a playful, slightly naughty way.
- impishness noun
- The quality of being playful and slightly naughty.
Commonly confused: impish face or impish?
impish face vs impish
'Impish' is an adjective describing the expression; 'impish face' is the full noun phrase. Do not write 'an impish' alone when you mean the face.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'impish face' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Impish' means playful and slightly naughty, so it fits a situation that makes people smile. The other options describe negative reactions that do not match the playful meaning of 'impish'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “impish face”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.