Fig.: to get out of a difficult or rough situation with dignity; to avoid humiliation or embarrassment

After putting up with his incompetence for so long, to save face the company finally gave him an early retirement, instead of firing him

Dopo aver sopportato la sua incompetenza per lungo tempo, la ditta per salvare la faccia, invece di licenziarlo, gli ha offerto un pre-pensionamento

Only one candidate answered the ad, so there was no point in interviewing him before hiring him, but – to save face – the company gave him one anyway

Solo un candidato ha risposto all'annuncio economico, perciò sarebbe stato inutile fargli un'intervista prima di assumerlo, ma, per salvare almeno la faccia, la ditta ha deciso di fargliela lo stesso

This idiom is modeled on its opposite Lose face, which means “to lose credibility, credit or reputation”