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

And this is a classic 'High Noon' toe-to-toe showdown-at-the-corral heavyweight fight. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025

Keen to reel in a younger demographic, the stateside automaker introduced the V-Series in 2003, a line of high-performance models designed to go toe-to-toe with those from the likes of BMW’s M division and AMG. —Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025

And at every turn — whether ingratiating themselves with a young police officer (Naomi Ackie) or going toe-to-toe with an ambitious real estate developer (David Tenant) — these retirees use their age to their advantage. —Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025

In a thrilling opening fixture at Anfield on Friday, Bournemouth went toe-to-toe with reigning champions Liverpool, fighting back from 2-0 down to draw level, before the home side emerged as 4-2 winners with two goals in the final moments. —Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1942, in the meaning defined above