face-to-face

adverb or adjective

ˈfās-tə-ˈfās 

1

: within each other's sight or presence

met and talked face-to-face

a face-to-face consultation

2

: in or into direct contact or confrontation

came face-to-face with the problem

Synonyms of face-to-face

• personally

Examples of face-to-face in a Sentence

I won't believe that accusation until I meet with him face-to-face and ask him myself

came face-to-face with her lifelong fear of flying even before the plane left the runway

Recent Examples on the Web

If employees enjoy working from home, wouldn’t a hybrid model be the perfect way to balance that preference with the need for face-to-face contact? — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

The German and Russian foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s annual meeting last month in what was believed to be the first such face-to-face meeting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. — Susie Blann, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

The survey polled 855 people in Gaza face-to-face in the respondents’ homes, shelters, or camps, and 800 in the West Bank face-to-face in the respondents’ homes. — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026

Set aside some time saved by AI to be reinvested into teamwork, peer mentorship and face-to-face strategy sessions. — Carrie Varoquiers, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for face-to-face

• aromatase
• oligoclase
• plagioclase
• polymerase
• streptokinase
• triphosphatase
• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace

Kids Definition

face-to-face

adverb or adjective

ˌfās-tə-ˈfās

1

: within each other's close presence

met face-to-face

2

: in or into direct contact or confrontation

face-to-face with a crisis