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
Director Max Winkler worked closely with the two actors to create a rapport that could inform their face-offs, which operate on rage and fear.
—
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 June 2026
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
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 6 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-offs
Noun
-
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
Their rivalries have surfaced in the Horn of Africa, Libya, and Yemen, and in media networks, investment strategies, and diplomatic initiatives.—
Judah Taub,
semafor.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Situated on Route 33 in Manalapan, this state park has preserved the 18th-century landscape of one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War, where the Continental Army ambushed the British army along their route from Philadelphia to New York City.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Both King Charles and the Princess of Wales have been open about their respective cancer battles, using their platforms to drive public awareness.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The 21-year-old is combative in duels and boasts plenty of athleticism to cover ground, which could prove crucial in Portugal’s high-risk system.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
LaBonta completed 23 of 29 passes from the middle of the park, put in four tackles, made two interceptions and two ball recoveries, and won five of her eight duels with players, all while avoiding committing a single foul.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
While tensions occasionally flared between supporters and passersby, no major confrontations were reported.—
Stepheny Price , Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
-
But up until Sunday there were no direct confrontations between Israel and Iran since the ceasefire took hold.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The 29-year-old was actually born in Colombia and represented the country in youth competitions early in his career.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
The Southern Fried Poetry Slam is in Orlando through Sunday, with a full schedule of competitions and community events.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The McDowells are far from alone in their struggles to find stable, straightforward child care.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
Rather than focusing on recent struggles, Mattingly pointed toward the larger body of work that made Bichette one of the American League's most productive young hitters during his years in Toronto.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Guests will have two stages of entertainment to choose from, plus the Artists’ Alley, multiple Fun Zones, the Ocean Beergarden, and wings and burger eating contests.—
Point Loma-Ob Monthly,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2026
-
And the odds of the Packers going 0-3 in those contests were 1-in-250,000.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Its Acadian, Creole and maritime narratives reveal how global conflicts and local landscapes shaped the Gulf South.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
That new reality is the result of Iran’s relentless efforts to link the fate of both conflicts, and of the increasingly diverging priorities of the US president and the Israeli prime minister.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-offs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-offs. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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