toe-to-toe

adjective or adverb

ˈtō-ˌtə-ˈtō 

: slugging it out at or as if at close range

a toe-to-toe confrontation over the new policy

Synonyms

• head-to-head
• one-on-one
• head-on
• face-to-face
• eyeball-to-eyeball

Examples of toe-to-toe in a Sentence

mom-and-pop grocery stores are usually wildly outmatched when they go toe-to-toe with large chain stores

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to working with such acting greats as Macchio and Ming-Na Wen, Wang needed to wrap his head around the idea of going toe-to-toe with the martial arts legend who just so happened to be his hero growing up. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

Young will be an adversary for Dr. Wolf (Zachary Quinto), and the two will go toe-to-toe throughout this season. —Leia Mendoza, Variety, 14 July 2025

In the first of his many collaborations with Martin Scorsese, DiCaprio is given the impossible task of going toe-to-toe with one of the greatest actors of all time, Daniel Day-Lewis. —Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 13 July 2025

The future face of the association went toe-to-toe with the current face's son, Bronny James, and Flagg has the upper hand after their first bout. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1942, in the meaning defined above