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

McIver has good size and physicality and went toe-to-toe with Eric McAlister throughout the spring. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2025

Scherzer, who like Harper employs agent Scott Boras, praised the Phillies’ willingness to go toe-to-toe with Manfred. —Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 30 July 2025

And who better than her to go toe-to-toe on-screen with another icon, Diahann Carroll, who played Whitley’s mama? —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 29 July 2025

Marques has plenty of others to go to toe-to-toe with too in the world of digital decoration. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1942, in the meaning defined above