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
Matthew Herper, STAT, 30 Apr. 2026
So, the post-production team added a gunshot to Cashman and Blake’s final face-off.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2026
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the state’s competitive House seats won’t heat up until November when Democrats and Republicans face off.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
Then came the call that set up a face-off between the government and industry.
—Matthew Herper, STAT, 30 Apr. 2026
So, the post-production team added a gunshot to Cashman and Blake’s final face-off.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
The brick-and-mortar Harbaugh gets to face off against scheme wizard Sean McVay.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 16 May 2026
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the state’s competitive House seats won’t heat up until November when Democrats and Republicans face off.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
-
Militant leaders have usually died as a result of internecine rivalry among competing groups or factions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
-
That’s the foundation of an all-time rivalry.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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And before this win, Rai was expecting to have to compete on the PGA Tour’s fall schedule to work his way up the FedEx Cup rankings.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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The program also ensured any female athlete who finished one spot out of qualifying for the state finals in events that included a trans competitor, to compete for the title as well.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
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Decades-long legal battle The Supreme Court decision to overturn Glossip’s conviction and death sentence last year marked a major turning point in his decades-long legal battle.—
Linh Tran,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
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But the frenzied redistricting battle of the past few months — including a congressional map in his home state thrown out by a court after people voted to approve it, and certain elections postponed in Louisiana and Alabama after mail ballots already went out — has done it.—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Verb
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With his plans to cap his college partners at 30, Davis contends that those that spurned Avo’s advances will eventually come to regret it.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
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Republican officials contend the new districts can be suspended only after Hoskins determines the petition meets constitutional requirements and has enough valid signatures.—
David A. Lieb,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Greene later raced toward the line and made a sliding grab on a foul ball, preserving the scoreless duel as neither offense could break through early.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
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That means another duel between arguably the two best quarterbacks in the NFL in Mahomes and Allen.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Both companies are racing for the public market, with SpaceX expected to disclose its prospectus as soon as this week, ahead of what could be a record offering next month.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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The company is racing to have Starship ready for next year’s revamped Artemis III mission, which calls for Starship’s upper stage to rendezvous with NASA’s Orion capsule — the same vehicle that carried the Artemis II astronauts around the moon last month — while orbiting Earth.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
Noun
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The Browns are expected to hold a quarterback competition in training camp among Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel, with rookie Taylen Green selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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Critics portray the movement as politically motivated, but many athletes and parents involved insist their concerns center on competition rather than ideology.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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As the confrontation escalated, the man can be seen in the video taking his glasses off and becoming physically aggressive toward two of the crew members.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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Some candidate narratives also push back on the article’s suggestion that voters have little appetite for ideological confrontation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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