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
Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
His decision to back away from the White House UFC face-off coincided with the Department of Justice’s latest release of files showcasing images, documents and flight logs tied to Epstein and his wealthy entourage.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Dec. 2025
Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
The outlet noted that Cameron and Bigelow had faced off in 2010, when they were both nominated for Oscars for Best Director.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
His decision to back away from the White House UFC face-off coincided with the Department of Justice’s latest release of files showcasing images, documents and flight logs tied to Epstein and his wealthy entourage.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Dec. 2025
Verb
This, however, all becomes background noise as the students face off against the principal over an oppressive, prank-preventing surveillance system.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
The outlet noted that Cameron and Bigelow had faced off in 2010, when they were both nominated for Oscars for Best Director.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
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 26 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share