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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of face-off
Haley Parsley
june 17,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
The game followed a championship series filled with down-to-the-wire face-offs won by edge-of-your-seat buzzer beaters.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 June 2026
ABC News,
27 June 2026
Fans are expected once again to show up and show out as Portugal and Colombia face off on the pitch at Miami Stadium.
—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
Wahab and Hernandez will face-off in November’s general election for the district.
—
Haley Parsley
june 17,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
The game followed a championship series filled with down-to-the-wire face-offs won by edge-of-your-seat buzzer beaters.
—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Verb
For the second consecutive year, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers face off in the first round, and their joint interview Saturday at Sonoma Raceway came off with the feel of a heavyweight weigh-in — absent the verbal jousting.
—
ABC News,
27 June 2026
Fans are expected once again to show up and show out as Portugal and Colombia face off on the pitch at Miami Stadium.
—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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In his first chance to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his still-new Padres uniform Friday night, Buehler was a star in this NL West rivalry once again.
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The other final will see Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay renew their rivalry from Forbidden Door 2024, this time with an AEW World Championship match at Wembley Stadium on the line.
Verb
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Despite initially battling with burnout, and if the professional path was for her, Anderson became a four-time All-American in her five years with the program, while also competing in pro tournaments funded by FSU.
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The competing corridors have left shippers confused, forcing vessels to navigate threats from sea mines, aerial drones and IRGC patrol boats.
Noun
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Riff argued the issue to halt the payout was not a legal battle but rather a political one.
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While the first half of the match was full of battles and speed runs from one goal to another, the players seem to be taking a more methodical pace after returning from the locker room.
Verb
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The report generally contends that a single-payer system would, by eliminating the paperwork and other aspects of the current system, be the most efficient from a cost/benefit basis.
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Experts contended that the progressive candidates could split the vote, opening the door for McAdams to win.
Noun
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The drama had returned, Scheffler and Hovland resumed their duel, with Morikawa watching hopefully, but helplessly.
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But when Aemond arrives unexpectedly, the castellan wonders if a duel can’t be avoided.
Verb
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Foreign rescue teams — including three from the United States — were racing against time in the aftermath of twin earthquakes that rocked Venezuela's northern coast as the death toll from the disaster increased, officials said.
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There’s a lot of racing history at the Big A, which began in 1894, before Queens was even part of New York City.
Noun
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The biggest score of the World Cup competition may be happening off the pitch.
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For Iraq, a victory would be its first in World Cup competition while Senegal, a quarterfinalist in 2002, would like to get a win for Sadio Mane, one of Africa’s most iconic players, who may be playing in his final World Cup.
Noun
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Yet despite his later involvement in politics, McCloskey remains most closely associated with the confrontation that unfolded outside his home in June 2020.
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Upon that person’s arrival, there was a confrontation that devolved into gunshots.
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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