pull a face

present singular third person pulls a face · participle present pulling a face · participle past pulled a face · past pulled a face

1. idiomaticTo make an abnormal facial expression, either intentionally or because of an emotion.

   At the back of the cafe, McCormack pulled a face. The former leader of the English Defence League was not for her.

   2025 September 14, Daniel Boffey, “Racism or celebration? What England’s flag-hoisters are saying – and what others are hearing”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   1 more example

   “This is about Daniel?” Irene said, and Laura pulled a face. “Yeah, of course it is! Of course it’s about Daniel—I haven’t slept with anyone else who’s carked it lately, have I? I’m a witness, that’s all; I was the last person to see him, you know, alive. It’s nothing to worry about.”

   2021, Paula Hawkins, chapter 26, in A Slow Fire Burning, [New York, N.Y.]: Random House Large Print, →ISBN, page 281

   Synonyms: make a face