How do you say “Keep a stiff upper lip” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is faire bonne contenance, which literally means “to put on a good bearing”. English speakers use keep a stiff upper lip to mean to remain outwardly calm and brave when things are difficult. A French expression for putting on a brave face. It fits hiding distress better than “garder son sang-froid”, which stresses calm under pressure. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: occasional.
Closest natural French
faire bonne contenance
/fɛʁ bɔn kɔ̃tnɑ̃s/
- Literal meaning
- “to put on a good bearing”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- occasional
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“Faire bonne contenance” describes the face you present when you feel upset or uncomfortable. It can sound a little formal.
It says nothing about how calm you feel inside. The goodbye example shows someone trying to look composed even though their voice gives them away.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
She kept a stiff upper lip when the competition results were announced.
French
Elle a fait bonne contenance à l’annonce des résultats du concours.
English
He tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but his voice shook as he said goodbye.
French
Il a essayé de faire bonne contenance, mais sa voix tremblait au moment de dire au revoir.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-13