to force a smile
to smile unwillingly or insincerely · to pretend to be happy
What's the situation?
This expression perfectly describes those moments when you're not genuinely happy, but you absolutely have to put on a cheerful face. Think about a super boring work meeting 🥱 or when you're trying to be polite to someone you don't really like. It's when you have to summon a smile from deep within, even if your heart isn't in it! 😬