face-to-face

adverb or adjective

1
: within each other's sight or presence
met and talked face-to-face
a face-to-face consultation
2
: in or into direct contact or confrontation
came face-to-face with the problem

Examples of face-to-face in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Distressing face-to-face encounters are not the only effect the bears have on daily life. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024 At the weekend-long event, which began on Friday, fans come face-to-face with stars from their favorite '90s shows, including Full House, Dawson's Creek, 7th Heaven and Boy Meets World. Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 The singer would spend much of the night moving from one side to the other, and the latter half of Act II balancing atop a floating catwalk that rotated, placing him face-to-face with the fans seated in the upper sections of the arena. Thania Garcia, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 When the two got engaged and finally came face-to-face in Episode 5, Jimmy did not agree with her assessment. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Experts said the failure to conduct face-to-face check-ins could hide horrific situations. Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024 In some cases, close face-to-face interaction, such as talking or breathing very close to another person, can spread the disease. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 As digital natives, this younger generation is accustomed to communicating online instead of through face-to-face interactions. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 The robot's cameras allow for face-to-face communication between law enforcement and individuals without the risk of in-person confrontation. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'face-to-face.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of face-to-face was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near face-to-face

Cite this Entry

“Face-to-face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-to-face. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

face-to-face

adverb or adjective
ˌfās-tə-ˈfās
1
: within each other's close presence
met face-to-face
2
: in or into direct contact or confrontation
face-to-face with a crisis

More from Merriam-Webster on face-to-face

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