1
: a method of beginning play (as in hockey or lacrosse) in which two opponents face each other and attempt to gain control of a puck or ball dropped or placed between them
2
faced off; facing off; faces off
: to be in or come into opposition or competition
politicians facing off against each other in a televised debate
Synonyms
Examples of face-off in a Sentence
Noun
the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges
Verb
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
Recent Examples on the Web
Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 21 May 2024
The 2024 presidential elections will see another face-off between incumbent Democrat president Joe Biden and former president and presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for face-off 
Noun
Voters in Oregon, meanwhile, will select the Democratic and Republican candidates that will face-off in a number of general election Congressional races that could determine which party controls the House next year.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 21 May 2024
The 2024 presidential elections will see another face-off between incumbent Democrat president Joe Biden and former president and presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for face-off
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'face-off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near face-off
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-off. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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