toe to toe
1 of 2phrase
: facing one another
toe-to-toe
2 of 2adjective or adverb
: slugging it out at or as if at close range
a toe-to-toe confrontation over the new policy
Examples of toe to toe in a Sentence
Adjective or adverb
mom-and-pop grocery stores are usually wildly outmatched when they go toe-to-toe with large chain stores
Recent Examples on the Web
Brett Appley, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The former Washington Husky has been going toe-to-toe with wide receiver Mario Craver for weeks, and Thursday, Shaw got the best of his A&M compadre.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026
After playing one of many Bob Dylans in I’m Not There (2007), Ledger went toe-to-toe with one of the other Dylans, Christian Bale, as the Joker to his Batman in The Dark Knight (2008).
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
Texas fell to the Purdue Boilermakers on a last-second tip just before the buzzer, after going toe-to-toe with them all game.
—Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toe to toe
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Adjective or adverb
Even as recently as his last matchup, Swanson went toe-to-toe with Billy Quarantillo for two rounds before knocking him out in the third.
—Brett Appley, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
The former Washington Husky has been going toe-to-toe with wide receiver Mario Craver for weeks, and Thursday, Shaw got the best of his A&M compadre.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 9 Apr. 2026
After playing one of many Bob Dylans in I’m Not There (2007), Ledger went toe-to-toe with one of the other Dylans, Christian Bale, as the Joker to his Batman in The Dark Knight (2008).
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
Texas fell to the Purdue Boilermakers on a last-second tip just before the buzzer, after going toe-to-toe with them all game.
—Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for toe to toe
Cite this Entry
“Toe to toe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toe%20to%20toe. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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