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

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The Trojans went toe-to-toe with Bedford North Lawrence in Saturday's Class 4A semistate semifinal at Southport, recovering from a rocky start to remain within reach late in regulation. —Brian Haenchen, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1942, in the meaning defined above