one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən 

ˌwən-än-

1

: playing directly against a single opposing player

2

: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Synonyms of one-on-one

• face-to-face
• head-to-head
• toe-to-toe
• head-on
• eyeball-to-eyeball

Examples of one-on-one in a Sentence

bragged that no one could go one-on-one with her in a game of darts and win

Recent Examples on the Web

With all the attention expected to be placed on all 6 feet 5 and 350 pounds of Dexter Lawrence eclipsing the center, the uncertainty around what all these edges will be doing could produce a much higher percentage of one-on-one opportunities. — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

There were one-on-one periods between the receivers and cornerbacks, a brief skirmish and extensive team periods. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 31 July 2026

The Dolphins new head coach has little interest in doing one-on-one drills, and 7-on-7 work. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

In fact, investors have access to lifetime customer service, personalized one-on-one sessions, dedicated account specialists and comprehensive onboarding. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-on-one

• anyone
• everyone
• megaton
• overdone
• overrun
• begun
• grandson
• gudrun
• handgun
• homespun
• outdone
• outrun