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

Indeed, early sales reports indicate that Team Spectre appears to be pulling ahead, Aeschlimann said during a one-on-one interview with Robb Report before the exhibition. — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026

Jeff Kizer is among a handful of participants selected to work one-on-one with a financial expert for CNN’s Savings Challenge. — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Filmmakers will also get one-on-one time with industry mentors over the course of the market. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

These are all considered by program managers and, at the very least, discussed in a one-on-one dialogue. — Tamlin Magee, Fortune, 8 Oct. 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