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
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
Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
After Nikita Kucherov scored to tie the game, Josh Norris broke a nine-game goal drought with a quick wrist shot from the face-off dot.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Pablo Langesfeld faced off against a health giant — and won.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
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Noun
Concrète Waves feels less like an intergenerational face-off and more like a meeting of brilliant minds on the same terms.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
After Nikita Kucherov scored to tie the game, Josh Norris broke a nine-game goal drought with a quick wrist shot from the face-off dot.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
Pep Guardiola’s side came out on top when the pair faced off against each other at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, but victory in such a titanic battle does not guarantee glory by the end of the season.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Pablo Langesfeld faced off against a health giant — and won.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-off. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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