head-to-head

adverb or adjective

ˈhed-tə-ˈhed 

: in a direct confrontation or encounter usually between individuals

teams competing head-to-head for the championship

Synonyms of head-to-head

• toe-to-toe
• one-on-one
• face-to-face
• head-on

Examples of head-to-head in a Sentence

it's fitting that the two best teams during the regular season will go head-to-head for the championship

Recent Examples on the Web

Camp time culminates in a team competition, where groups face off in a head-to-head series of tug-of-war battles, relays and other physical challenges — all in a quest for ultimate bragging rights. —Robin Roenker, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026

Those aren’t direct comparisons because the drugs weren’t compared in a head-to-head clinical trial. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026

Additionally, Lilly's pill bested oral Wegovy in a head-to-head study looking at their benefits to diabetes patients , including on weight loss. —Jeff Marks, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026

But the Heat now holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the 76ers after winning the regular-season series between the two teams, 2-1. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for head-to-head

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead