as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges
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Recent Examples of face-off
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
West’s victory marked a major shift in mainstream hip-hop—Glock-toting gangsta rap was out, euphoric genre-blending was in—but the face-off between West and 50 Cent may be most remembered as one of the last album-promotional events of its kind.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
As Operation Metro Surge got into full swing earlier this month, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota, carrying out sweeping detentions and facing off with protesters in tense confrontations.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
Teddy Blueger’s impressive return Contenders are always looking for extra insurance down the middle, especially for centres like Teddy Blueger, who are sound penalty killers and can win face-offs at an above-average rate.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
West’s victory marked a major shift in mainstream hip-hop—Glock-toting gangsta rap was out, euphoric genre-blending was in—but the face-off between West and 50 Cent may be most remembered as one of the last album-promotional events of its kind.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks may not be facing off at the Super Bowl until next weekend, but the ads that many tune in for have started rolling out.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
As Operation Metro Surge got into full swing earlier this month, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota, carrying out sweeping detentions and facing off with protesters in tense confrontations.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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That sets Chavez and Crump up to be the future of this rivalry, which dates back to 1979.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
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This transformed a political rivalry into a blood feud.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Democrats Menefee, a former Harris County attorney, and Amanda Edwards, a former member of Houston's city council, competed in a runoff to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District, a solidly Democratic area covering part of Houston and the surrounding region.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
2 Feb. 2026
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White Sox General Manager Chris Getz said Sandlin, a 24-year-old righty who split time last year in Triple-A and Double-A, will compete for a spot in the rotation at spring training.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In a city where detentions have largely played out on the streets, Homan’s comments have highlighted a battle that has been unfolding in the background.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The exercise of power, not surprisingly, contributed to the restlessness of a busy mind that waged battles against a committed opposition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But Warden contends that many of the actual workers in the Bay retained their left-leaning politics.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
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Redrawing districts again could prompt a new legal challenge and lead a court to impose districts, Ferguson contends.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
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Darnold endured more growing pains during his rookie season but also showed flashes of excellence, including throwing three touchdown passes in a duel with Aaron Rodgers during an overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Advocates like Aiello are now racing to secure measures to avoid catastrophe before the frontier is closed.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Their massive move also underscores how big donors are racing to back science-heavy, tech-centric projects such as peers like the Gates Foundation.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Microsoft is a large investor in OpenAI, but there’s growing competition in the AI space, especially from Google’s Gemini.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Uhlaender, a five-time Olympian, was hoping to qualify for her sixth Winter Games, but lost the chance before competition even began in Lake Placid due to Canada's withdrawals.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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On these blocks, darkened by the presence of heavily armed federal agents, Minnesotans describe routine movements as calculated risks, unsure which block might erupt into confrontation.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
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No leader can survive a confrontation with the president without a unified board.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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