faze

IPA/feɪz/
KK[fˈez]IPA/feɪz/

faze — verb

  • fazepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • fazeshe / she / it
  • fazedpast simple
  • fazing-ing form

1. to cause someone to feel nervous, confused, or uncomfortable, often because some

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to cause someone to feel nervous, confused, or uncomfortable, often because something unexpected happens

Example

Mia's little brother kept shouting, but it didn't faze her at all.

negative: didn't faze + person

Does it faze you when strangers ask personal questions?

question form: does it faze you when...

Common collocations
  • doesn't faze
  • never faze
  • hardly faze
  • not fazed by
  • unfazed by
Synonyms
  • bother

    more common and less intense; can be used in both formal and informal contexts

  • rattle

    more informal; suggests making someone lose confidence or composure

  • unnerve

    more formal and stronger; suggests making someone lose courage or confidence

  • disconcert

    more formal; suggests making someone feel confused or uneasy

Antonyms
  • calm

    opposite effect — to make someone feel at ease instead of disturbed

  • reassure

    opposite effect — to remove someone's doubts or worries

Grammar Patterns

doesn't/n't faze + noun phrase

be not fazed by + noun phrase

never faze + noun phrase

Usage Note

Most commonly used in negative statements (doesn't faze, didn't faze, never fazed) or questions (Does it faze you?). Positive uses are much less frequent.

Common Mistakes

The loud noise didn't phase me at all.
The loud noise didn't faze me at all.
'faze' means to disturb or bother someone; 'phase' (spelled with 'ph') is a stage of a process or a verb meaning to introduce gradually.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe causing someone discomfort or loss of composure, but they differ in strength and register. 'Bother' is the most general and neutral — you can be bothered by noise, delays, or small annoyances. 'Faze' is more specific: it implies surprising or unexpected events that momentarily throw someone off. 'Rattle' (informal) suggests a stronger loss of confidence — a rattled speaker forgets their notes. 'Unnerve' is more formal and implies a gradual erosion of courage. 'Disconcert' is the most formal, describing awkward social discomfort. 'Shake' (informal) implies a severe emotional blow. Compare: 'The delay bothered him, but the sudden cancellation really fazed her.' and 'The audience's silence disconcerted the speaker, yet the harsh criticism unnerved her completely.'

bother ↗rattle ↗unnerve ↗disconcertshake ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • does not faze
  • was not fazed
  • remain unfazed

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishAmerican English

The word 'faze' comes from an Old English verb 'fēsian', which meant 'to drive away' or 'to frighten off'. It later developed into the dialect word 'feeze' meaning 'to frighten or drive off'. The modern spelling 'faze' was popularised in American English in the 1800s. The original sense of driving or chasing away faded, leaving the sense of disturbing or unsettling someone's composure.

First known use

1830

1830, in the meaning defined above