one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən How to pronounce one-on-one (audio)
ˌwən-än-
1
: playing directly against a single opposing player
2
: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Examples of one-on-one in a Sentence

bragged that no one could go one-on-one with her in a game of darts and win
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Put into action, this looked like lots of one-on-one conversations. Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 Maintain Social Connections Being around other people, whether one-on-one or in a large group can have a significant impact on your energy levels. Sherri Gordon, Health, 9 Dec. 2024 Even down on a more personal, one-on-one level, people come up to me. Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024 There's never going to be no one-on-one battle for me. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for one-on-one 

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-on-one was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near one-on-one

Cite this Entry

“One-on-one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-on-one. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

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