one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən 

ˌwən-än-

1

: playing directly against a single opposing player

2

: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Synonyms of one-on-one

• face-to-face
• head-to-head
• toe-to-toe
• head-on
• eyeball-to-eyeball

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

Players rarely test his one-on-one defense. —Law Murray, New York Times, 21 May 2026

The kind of one-on-one coaching high rollers get at physical tables, in his telling, becomes available to anyone on the site. —Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

The event, hosted by the college and the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, will feature one-on-one conversations between candidates and moderator Alex Cohen, the national political anchor for Spectrum News 1, rather than a traditional debate format, organizers said. —City News Service, Daily News, 19 May 2026

Canyon Ranch Tucson offers LONGEVITY8, a four-day program with 18 one-on-one consultations, 15 diagnostic tests and more than 200 biomarker measurements. —Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-on-one

• anyone
• everyone
• megaton
• overdone
• overrun
• begun
• grandson
• gudrun
• handgun
• homespun
• outdone
• outrun