stare sb in the face

/stˈeə ˌɛsbˈiː ɪnðə fˈeɪs/

/stˈɛɹ ˌɛsbˈiː ɪnðə fˈeɪs/

to stare sb in the face

to be imminent or unavoidable

*** If something stares someone in the face, it is very easy to see or obvious

stare sth in the face

/stˈeə ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ ɪnðə fˈeɪs/

/stˈɛɹ ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ ɪnðə fˈeɪs/

to stare sth in the face

*** to have to deal with a bad situation that is very likely to occur, or is about to occur

Examples

1. The solution was staring me in the face.

2. The answer has been staring us in the face all along!

3. We are staring bankruptcy in the face.

4. Some of my patients are actually staring death in the face.