one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən How to pronounce one-on-one (audio)
ˌwən-än-
Synonyms of one-on-onenext
1
: playing directly against a single opposing player
2
: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

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
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.
Guests will find that a one-on-one early morning meditation on the beach sets the tone for the entire stay. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026 Instead of dissecting another unicorn performance from Jokic, the discussion focused on how Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert won the one-on-one matchup. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026 Too often the corners struggled to win their one-on-one battles, especially on third-and-long. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2026 The match at WrestleMania was supposed to be a one-on-one match, but Michin and B-Fab got involved in the action. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-on-one

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-on-one was in 1940

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-on-one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-on-one. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on one-on-one

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster