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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of face-off
Brian Fabry, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
The special edition of this fun-for-all face-off will celebrate what our city’s best chefs always bring to their endeavors — creativity, craftsmanship and community — and all for a wonderful cause.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
After the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers face off tonight, the divisional round will be fully set.
—Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
But Nauset answered quickly on the next shift on their end as Gaby Bassett scored just outside the left face-off circle on a cross-ice pass from Kipperman.
—Brian Fabry, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
The special edition of this fun-for-all face-off will celebrate what our city’s best chefs always bring to their endeavors — creativity, craftsmanship and community — and all for a wonderful cause.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
The winners of Divisional Round games ultimately face off in the conference championships.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
After the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers face off tonight, the divisional round will be fully set.
—Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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Cal was led by a pair of players who were new to the rivalry.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2026
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The lawsuit is the latest chapter in the long rivalry between Hill and Rose.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Much of the movie's story revolves around Marty's chaotic efforts to make enough money to travel to Japan and compete in a tournament there.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Associated Press reported that the grim discovery underscores the tactics used by criminal groups competing for control of territory and trafficking routes, especially along the country’s coastline.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This week, documents released amid the ongoing legal battle between Lively and Baldoni included a series of texts between Lively and Swift.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
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The legal battles and war of words between local and federal officials have mirrored the contentious scene on the ground in the state.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Paramount will likely contend that overly conservative—or overly optimistic—assumptions about refinancing costs, interest rates, and cash flow could skew the board’s judgment about what constitutes fair value.—
Corey Martin,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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In the Lambden case, a homeowner contended that the board pursued the wrong response to termite problems and sued the HOA.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Nothing but bleeps ahead of Sunday's divisional duel with the Los Angeles Rams.—
Jori Parys,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
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The predictive duel for Best Picture The Globes are regarded by some as a frivolous event in which celebrities care less about the awards and more about the drinks at their tables.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Clippers raced to a 14-5 lead, but the Knicks answered with eight straight points and the game was close for the first three quarters.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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In Altadena, employees with the small local water utilities raced across town protecting and fixing the water systems firefighters relied on.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As investors navigate a landscape shaped by economic uncertainty, rising scrutiny, and tough competition for standout startups, decoding what ‘investment-readiness’ truly means has become as critical as the funding itself for founders hoping to raise capital.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The process of signing up clients is already competitive enough, and the agency itself works best as a place of collaboration and mutual support, not internal competition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Frey said an incident Friday night that led to property damage at an area hotel and confrontation with police officers was an outlier to the largely peaceful events in recent days.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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Ross argued that allowing local police to provide basic crowd control — rather than restricting coordination — could have reduced risks during recent confrontations.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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