in the face of

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in the face of

1. when confronted with

   in the face of growing pressure, the company changed its logo

   • 2020 December 2, Industry Insider, “The costs on cutting carbon”, in Rail, page 76:

     Significant rail projects have been mothballed before in the face of changed circumstances - in particular, the LNER Woodhead project which was postponed due to wartime conditions and not revived until 1948, as money became available after nationalisation.

2. (colloquial) despite, against, contrary to
   • 1999 March 20, Natalie Angiers, The Guardian:

     They declare ringing confirmation for their theories even in the face of feeble data.

3. (archaic or law) on the face of

• fly in the face of
• in face of
• spit in the face of