as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of face-off
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The father, a former super middleweight champion, slammed his son during a recent interview with Seconds Out for the latter’s actions during a face-off with Conor Benn, the son of Sr.'s arch rival, Nigel Benn.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
Florida and Toronto faced off four times during the regular season, with Florida winning three out of four.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
Wild goose wins face-off with tiger in zoo enclosure.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The father, a former super middleweight champion, slammed his son during a recent interview with Seconds Out for the latter’s actions during a face-off with Conor Benn, the son of Sr.'s arch rival, Nigel Benn.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
For the third time this year, No. 2 Scripps Ranch and No. 4 Point Loma faced off in beach volleyball — this time in a CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoff elimination game.
—Breven Honda, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
Florida and Toronto faced off four times during the regular season, with Florida winning three out of four.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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She is locked in a bitter rivalry with the Bears, whose growing presence and destructive ways threaten the land she is sworn to protect, by any means necessary.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
8 May 2025
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But their rivalry over money and customers led to a bitter lawsuit in Miami federal court in 2011 that was resolved through a settlement the following year.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, five singers will compete for this season's crown.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
13 May 2025
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Over the subsequent period in NXT, Dolin competed in various singles matches and different tag team pairings.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Noun
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This, after an epic indoor fireworks battle — among other shenanigans — had the place looking like a warzone in videos.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2025
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As soon as hot weather sets in, chickweed begins to slow its growth, often dying out by midsummer, but don’t think the battle is won.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Another theory contends that different features in nature, such as the pattern of leaf shadows moving on the forest floor under the sunlight, provide stimuli that is interesting but not overly demanding for humans.—
Joshua Rapp Learn,
Discover Magazine,
30 Apr. 2025
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Trump, Zelenskyy meet privately ahead of pope's funeral At the time, Zelenskyy contended the Russian president needed stronger pushback from Ukraine's allies.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The first challenger, selected at random, must choose one of his or her neighboring opponents to go head-to-head in an epic quiz duel in the opponent’s category.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
10 May 2025
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In each episode, the first challenger, selected at random, must choose one of his or her neighboring opponents to go head-to-head in an epic quiz duel in the opponent’s category.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Fils, the French No. 1, raced to the net to pick up a Tsitsipas drop shot and scooped it back into play.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
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In an interview with the Sunday Times, which was published in May but conducted in March, Brooklyn Beckham, 26, credited his dad with inspiring his love of racing at a young age while discussing his experience at the Formula E Evo Sessions in Miami at the Miami International Autodrome.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Stellantis’s European operation is a weak-looking target for new Chinese competition.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
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Forest, who won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under Brian Clough, last featured in Europe’s premier competition in 1980-81.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Noun
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While Ratcliffe seems to thrive in conflict, the Glazers do not like confrontation.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
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Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
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