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
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
Crowley’s face-off with the freshman mayor began when the fires were still raging.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
The Queens assemblyman will face off against Adams and Cuomo, who are both running on independent tickets, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
—ABC News, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
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Noun
The alumni do not want the face-off to be a one-off.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
Crowley’s face-off with the freshman mayor began when the fires were still raging.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Pittsburgh Steelers will face off against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season on October 26.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
The Queens assemblyman will face off against Adams and Cuomo, who are both running on independent tickets, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
—ABC News, 26 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2025.
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