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
Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
With Ralf Rangnick, Salzburg’s sporting director, looking on from the stands, Kuchl went toe-to-toe with the best team in Austria, pressing them relentlessly.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Tournaments have been buzzing with quality teams going toe-to-toe, spreading holiday cheer in the names of some legendary figures that have touched each hockey community.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
But for a character like Dion (Luke Manley), who also has to go toe-to-toe with Chalamet, Venditti and her team were instrumental in finding the right, and unexpected, person for the part.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toe to toe
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Adjective or adverb
The Kardashians and other ring-light aristocracy passed around asymptomatic tests like hors d’oeuvres for parties while frontline clinicians — going toe-to-toe with the virus and terrified of turning their children into their next patients — were informed there simply weren’t tests to spare.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
With Ralf Rangnick, Salzburg’s sporting director, looking on from the stands, Kuchl went toe-to-toe with the best team in Austria, pressing them relentlessly.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Tournaments have been buzzing with quality teams going toe-to-toe, spreading holiday cheer in the names of some legendary figures that have touched each hockey community.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
But for a character like Dion (Luke Manley), who also has to go toe-to-toe with Chalamet, Venditti and her team were instrumental in finding the right, and unexpected, person for the part.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 2025
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 28 Jan. 2026.
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