as in rivalries
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-offs
Much of the credit goes to the defense and to Andrew Golden, a junior who handles face-offs.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The plan is for the star forward to take face-offs again.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
The film’s centerpieces are the face-offs between Plemons’ Teddy and Stone’s CEO.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Turcotte has been an efficient point producer relative to his ice time, boasts strong two-way metrics, and has won nearly 56 percent of his face-offs this year.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Several of these races have attracted attention beyond their city limits, for interesting face-offs or for their potential to signal where some states and districts could be leaning as next year's midterm elections draw closer.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
The plan is for the star forward to take face-offs again.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
The film’s centerpieces are the face-offs between Plemons’ Teddy and Stone’s CEO.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Turcotte has been an efficient point producer relative to his ice time, boasts strong two-way metrics, and has won nearly 56 percent of his face-offs this year.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Several of these races have attracted attention beyond their city limits, for interesting face-offs or for their potential to signal where some states and districts could be leaning as next year's midterm elections draw closer.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-offs
Noun
-
While community surveys showed support for the merger, some students expressed concern over losing traditions and rivalries.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The island’s legislature is considering a record defense outlay, but domestic political rivalries threaten to derail that effort.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After years of legal battles, dozens of Huntington Beach neighbors lost their backyards so sanitation crews could access an aging pipeline.—
Lesley Marin,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell — who has been entangled in multiple legal battles regarding trespassers targeting his private beachfront property in Florida over the past year — continues to receive disturbing threats from other members of the community against him and his family.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin both have the ability to win aerial duels and run off their partner’s flick-ons.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
With drum circles, ransacked guest rooms and theatrical confrontations staged across sandy paths and candlelit dinners, guests become active participants in the drama.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The footage does not appear to show any confrontations between police and protesters happening nearby at the time he was hit.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There will also be live music and entertainment, competitions and a peach pedal bike ride.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The only question is whether their uptick in performances is too little, too late — but Nuno’s side have only lost two of their last 12 matches in all competitions.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Both trials — one in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the other in Los Angeles — pointed to the struggles Meta has faced to adequately police Facebook and Instagram, which remain the company's primary cash engines due to their dominant position in digital advertising.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The Trueba family’s passions, struggles, and secrets span a century of violent social change, culminating in a crisis that hurls the proud, tyrannical patriarch and his beloved granddaughter towards opposite sides of the fence.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kim Caldwell’s crew has lost its last seven contests, but no one will wholly discount Tennessee in March.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Half of those contests are in the Eastern timezone, as well.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Closed schools across the Gulf are a reminder that when conflicts escalate, children are the first to pay the price, the UN’s secretary general told the Security Council earlier this month, Arab News reported.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Consequences from geopolitical tensions and conflicts abroad aren't limited to just overseas.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-offs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-offs. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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