How to Memorize

face up to the facts/situation/reality

Analysis

When you 'face up to' something you confront it. This idiomatic phrase is related to the phrase 'face your fears'. When you face up to something the understanding is that the thing you are facing up to is unpleasant or difficult. You might have to 'face up to the fact' that you are not as skilled or talented as you would like to be or 'face up to reality'. This is a common idiom used in social and professional contexts.

Social Examples (Basic)

1. You need to face up to the facts. Your work recently has not been good enough.
2. The woman failed to face up to the situation and exacerbated the problem instead.

Professional Examples (Basic)

1. We need to face up to the fact that the industry is changing and we have to innovate if we want to survive.
2. Are considerable losses are hard to face up to but it's better to face reality now rather than to continue risking more loss of revenue.