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
Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
West’s victory marked a major shift in mainstream hip-hop—Glock-toting gangsta rap was out, euphoric genre-blending was in—but the face-off between West and 50 Cent may be most remembered as one of the last album-promotional events of its kind.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
The dinner-table scenes at home, where Meg faces off against Ringwald’s scowlingly proper aunt, conjure that familiar Sundance genre of glorified sitcom.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
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Noun
While the face-off occurred during a break, Fanone also kept one F-bomb in reserve for the actual hearing.
—Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
West’s victory marked a major shift in mainstream hip-hop—Glock-toting gangsta rap was out, euphoric genre-blending was in—but the face-off between West and 50 Cent may be most remembered as one of the last album-promotional events of its kind.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Reilly and Preckwinkle are set to face off in the March Democratic primary to lead the Cook County Board, the county’s $10 billion budget, and its health system and Forest Preserve District.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
The dinner-table scenes at home, where Meg faces off against Ringwald’s scowlingly proper aunt, conjure that familiar Sundance genre of glorified sitcom.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.
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