idiom · formal

keep a stiff upper lip

UK/kiːp ə stɪf ˈʌpə lɪp/US/kiːp ə stɪf ˈʌpər lɪp/keep·a·STIFF·UP·per·LIP

speakingtask2

to remain calm and not show emotion in a difficult situation

Examples

“Despite the bad news, he kept a stiff upper lip during the ceremony.”

“She decided to keep a stiff upper lip and support the team.”

“In public he kept a stiff upper lip, though privately he was upset.”

Band 8 sentence

“Although deeply disappointed, the captain kept a stiff upper lip and addressed the press professionally.”

Collocations

  • keep a stiff upper lip in the face of something
  • try to keep a stiff upper lip

Word family

stoic adjkeep a brave face idiom

Common mistakes

keep stiff upper lip→keep a stiff upper lip

keep the stiff upper lip→keep a stiff upper lip

Say it for a higher band

5stay calm→6keep calm→7+keep a stiff upper lip

Synonyms

keep a brave face

be stoic

Easily confused

bite the bullet

“She bit the bullet and apologised for the mistake.”

Related words

be on cloud ninedown in the dumpson edgewear one's heart on one's sleevelet off steamhead over heels (in love)be over the moonbutterflies in one's stomach

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In Emotions

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