Synonyms of face-to-face

face-to-face

adverb

ˈfās-tə-ˈfās 

1

as in personally

in person and usually privately

I won't believe that accusation until I meet with him face-to-face and ask him myself

Synonyms & Similar Words

• personally
• in secret
• tête-à-tête
• in private
• immediately
• intimately
• secretly
• confidentially
• familiarly
• directly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indirectly
• publicly
• openly
• distantly

2

as in one-on-one

in direct confrontation or competition

came face-to-face with her lifelong fear of flying even before the plane left the runway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• one-on-one
• head-to-head
• head-on
• toe-to-toe
• eyeball-to-eyeball
• mano a mano

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of face-to-face

When asked about the best techniques for defusing tense encounters while still maintaining the right to protect, civil rights advocates in Connecticut are generally recommending online training in turning down the heat on face-to-face encounters with ICE agents or counter-protestors. —Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026

Be My Neighbor Day brings that mission to life through face-to-face connection. —Jennifer Cook, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026

The twist here is that the players never meet face-to-face. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026

Although weekly communication can be done via virtual meetings, there is no substitute for occasional face-to-face interaction. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2026