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
Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
The measure was a face-off between supporters who said the community needed more housing and opponents who raised concerns about traffic, wildlife and polluted groundwater from a nearby former landfill.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Andrew McNicol, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
On June 5, He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine) and Skeletor (Jared Leto) face off in the eternal fight between good and evil.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
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Noun
Kylie McAloon also found the back of the net with 30 seconds to play, but Reading controlled the ball off the ensuing face-off to ice the victory.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
The measure was a face-off between supporters who said the community needed more housing and opponents who raised concerns about traffic, wildlife and polluted groundwater from a nearby former landfill.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Verb
At a celebratory exhibition match last week in the capital, under the watchful eye of the supreme leader, Naegohyang faced off against the under-17s team, who just added an Asian Cup to their impressive array of silverware, trouncing Japan 5-1 in the final.
—Andrew McNicol, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
On June 5, He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine) and Skeletor (Jared Leto) face off in the eternal fight between good and evil.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 5 June 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 10 Jun. 2026.
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