poker face
poker face — noun
1. a deliberately neutral expression that hides a person's true thoughts and emotio
a deliberately neutral expression that hides a person's true thoughts and emotions
Asher kept a poker face while his brother unwrapped the surprise gift.
collocation: keep a poker face
The lawyer's poker face gave nothing away as the verdict was read aloud.
Yumi tried to maintain a poker face, but a small smile broke through.
Elena's poker face gave no clue about her real feelings during the tense meeting.
Even after hearing the shocking news, the doctor's poker face never slipped.
- deadpan
more often describes a style of humour delivered with a straight face, not just hiding feelings
- straight face
emphasises not laughing or smiling, narrower than poker face which hides all emotions
- impassive
more formal; describes any lack of visible feeling, not necessarily deliberate
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like keep, maintain, wear, or have. The phrase break someone's poker face describes making them show emotion against their will.
常見錯誤
poker face — idiom
1. the skill of keeping your face completely blank so that no one can guess your tr
the skill of keeping your face completely blank so that no one can guess your true feelings or intentions
Meera's poker face at the card table earned her a small fortune that night.
used figuratively for a quality or skill
You need a good poker face to survive family dinners with the Obi family.
Tariq maintained a perfect poker face while telling the children a made-up ghost story.
Allison's poker face during the price negotiation saved her hundreds of dollars.
- deadpan
more about comic delivery than the general skill of hiding emotions
- stone-faced
emphasises a hard, cold appearance rather than the skill of concealment
用法筆記
Distinguish from the noun sense (BLANK EXPRESSION): the idiom emphasises the quality or ability to remain unreadable, rather than the expression itself. Often modified by adjectives like good, great, or perfect.