facesaving

adj, noun — 2 senses

adj

Etymology From face + saving.

That prevents loss of face and maintains one's dignity or prestige.

And it tends toward the conclusion that the best outcome is one in which Putin finds some face-saving exit: additional Ukrainian territory, a Ukrainian pledge of neutrality, a lifting of some of the sanctions.2022 March 29, Bret Stephens, “What if Putin Didn’t Miscalculate?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

noun

Etymology From face + saving.

The act or process of saving face.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.