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
Leila Cobo, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
The boom comes as the tariff spat with Washington has kicked up nationalistic support in China, and a promise not to back down in its face-off with the US.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
It’s been around since 1985 and happens independently from the main World Cup, giving every country’s best teenage talent a chance to face off against the world’s other top youth squads on an international stage.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 3 Nov. 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
But for music fans, the real face-off will be between Argentine DJ and producer Bizarrap and Puerto Rican star Daddy Yankee.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
The boom comes as the tariff spat with Washington has kicked up nationalistic support in China, and a promise not to back down in its face-off with the US.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
In the final stretch of the race, the face off between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an Independent, could heavily influence the Democratic Party.
—NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
It’s been around since 1985 and happens independently from the main World Cup, giving every country’s best teenage talent a chance to face off against the world’s other top youth squads on an international stage.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 3 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share