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
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
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
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 15 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
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From legendary investors to rising disruptors, host Maneet Ahuja unpacks the convictions, rivalries and bold ideas driving today’s markets and tomorrow’s economy.—
Maneet Ahuja,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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While the two keep drinking and wait for a rare lunar event, old grievances, outrageous escapades, and macho rivalries explode to the surface.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Related Stories The project will explore Gaudí’s life, inner battles and spiritual evolution, framing the architect as a radical creative force shaped by faith and an increasingly austere existence.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
16 June 2026
-
What follows is a wildly chaotic getaway featuring inflatable bubble-ball battles, awkward matchmaking schemes, disastrous sabotage attemptsand even an emergency dolphin CPR situation.—
Lily Brown,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Last season, the data from his Premier League performances places him in the 90th percentile or above (10 per cent or fewer performed better than him) for progressive carries, carries into the opposition’s final third, chances created from attacking set-pieces, aerial duels won and blocked shots.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
11 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
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And a lot of times that can be confrontations, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
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The most dramatic confrontations took place this past winter in Minneapolis, but in the months since the federal government ended its occupation of that city, resistance has continued.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Measles has spread as a result of travel to international sports competitions before.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Master Mini, approximately one meter tall, is designed for education and robotic sports competitions, while Nova, standing about 50 centimeters tall, is intended as an entry-level educational and companion robot for children.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Prices of essential goods have soared and many people have lost their jobs, with millions now at risk of falling into poverty amid widespread economic struggles.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
-
Not by putting anyone on blast and not by outing anyone’s struggles, but by keeping the burden of truth squarely on my shoulders.—
Ali Lerman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Peterson missed 11 games in 2026-27 because of illness or cramping and asked out of several other contests.—
Gary Bedore
June 18,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
-
The November matchup between Collins and Ossoff is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate contests in the country and could play a major role in determining the balance of power in Washington.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Haddad said the qualification offers an opportunity for the world to see a different side of Jordan, a nation often overshadowed by regional conflicts.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
In other words, the current combination of US political tensions and global conflicts are driving more US nationals to seek new options overseas.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Face-offs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-offs. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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