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
ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Now, the candidates for New York City mayor have taken their face-off to the gym − specifically, the bench press rack.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 27 Sep. 2025
The new movie promises fresh conflict as the Sully family, headed up by Marine turned Na'vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na'vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), faces off against a new tribe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
So, yes, in a face-off, the Golf GTI wins.
—ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Now, the candidates for New York City mayor have taken their face-off to the gym − specifically, the bench press rack.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
The two will face off in a question and answer-style competition.
—Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 27 Sep. 2025
The new movie promises fresh conflict as the Sully family, headed up by Marine turned Na'vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na'vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), faces off against a new tribe.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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Since the 1960s, a total of 18 Metro Nashville Public Schools have closed, and some very heated football rivalries ended with those closings.—
Mike Organ,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Sep. 2025
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But there’s no question that these tools are transforming the job experience for many tech workers amid an intense rivalry between leading AI companies to make the best one.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Although there are lots of games to play, Lake Ridge’s victory is a promising sign that the Eagles can compete for a playoff spot, or even a district championship.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Oct. 2025
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Unless Labour, the Greens, and Your Party come to an electoral understanding, their candidates will have to compete with one another, and with other parties, over every seat, dividing the left-leaning vote and potentially allowing Reform or the Conservatives to come out on top.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For Democrats, the battle marked a defining moment to demonstrate unity after earlier funding fights in which they were accused of caving to Republican demands.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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That was really the battle, less than the gut.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Add in Michigan, USC and Minnesota, and well over half the league still has a shot at contending for a CFP spot.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Next week sees the release of several titles that have a decent shot of contending for the box office crown against One Battle After Another.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On the right, United States international Chris Richards has grown in assurance, particularly in his ability to win aerial duels.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
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One of the weirdest races in their duels was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which saw them both experience a tough run of luck completely independent from each other.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As the pair of drivers raced hard, even making contact on the last lap, the incident allowed Elliott to overtake them in no time.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Body camera footage from the incident, shared by police, showed Fayles racing over to the vehicle and using a long rod to break the car’s window.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In-competition features showcase emerging filmmakers from around the world, there to debut feature, documentary and short films.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
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Since premiering in 2005, Olympic athletes, TV stars, internet personalities and singers have stepped into the ballroom to participate in the ABC reality dance competition show.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But with American naval forces gathering off Venezuela's coast, fears are intensifying over what this growing show of force could mean for the prisoners — trapped between fragile diplomacy and the prospect of armed confrontation.—
Manuel Rueda,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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Satellite imagery, Pentagon releases, and ship tracking reports reveal stealth jets, Marines, and naval vessels poised across Puerto Rico and the eastern Caribbean, raising the specter of escalating tensions that some say could be the opening moves of a broader confrontation.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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