mano a mano
adverb or adjective
ma·no a ma·no
ˌmä-nō-ä-ˈmä-nō 
: in direct competition or conflict especially between two people
Examples of mano a mano in a Sentence
the two brothers decided to go mano a mano in one final match to determine who was the better tennis player
Recent Examples on the Web
Though neither is exactly a revelation — in the sense that these talents were revealed long ago — each gets space for menacing monologues and mano a mano match-ups.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025
Still the competition seems like perfect Tom–versus–Aaron, mano a mano, gay against gay.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Surreal and dreamlike vignettes, and some laugh out loud moments of levity, break up mano a mano scenes in that hut that test the intensity of Bean and Day-Lewis.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
And, as Jacob says, mano a mano, the UAE squad was just better.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mano a mano
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Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025
Still the competition seems like perfect Tom–versus–Aaron, mano a mano, gay against gay.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Surreal and dreamlike vignettes, and some laugh out loud moments of levity, break up mano a mano scenes in that hut that test the intensity of Bean and Day-Lewis.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
And, as Jacob says, mano a mano, the UAE squad was just better.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mano a mano
Cite this Entry
“Mano a mano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mano%20a%20mano. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.
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