as in competing
to engage in a contest
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of facing off
Democrat Analilia Mejia, Republican Joe Hathaway and Independent Alan Bond are facing off for the critical seat ahead of the midterm elections.
—
Christina Fan, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Other moments involve the pair facing off with wild animals.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Tournament of Champions returned for its seventh season on March 1, with 32 chefs facing off in the kitchen.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Mills is facing off against Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, in a high-profile Democratic primary.
—Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Angels slugger Jorge Soler was at the plate facing off against Braves pitcher Reynaldo López.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The teams maintain a friendly rivalry, facing off in exhibition games as well as home-and-away series during the regular season.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Samara Weaving returns with sharper edges, this time facing off against four families in a plot that veers toward global domination.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
In District 4, incumbent Nick Melvoin is facing off against Ankur Patel, director of outreach at the Hindu University of America.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Christina Fan, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Other moments involve the pair facing off with wild animals.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Tournament of Champions returned for its seventh season on March 1, with 32 chefs facing off in the kitchen.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Mills is facing off against Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, in a high-profile Democratic primary.
—Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Angels slugger Jorge Soler was at the plate facing off against Braves pitcher Reynaldo López.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The teams maintain a friendly rivalry, facing off in exhibition games as well as home-and-away series during the regular season.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Samara Weaving returns with sharper edges, this time facing off against four families in a plot that veers toward global domination.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
In District 4, incumbent Nick Melvoin is facing off against Ankur Patel, director of outreach at the Hindu University of America.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facing off
competing
Verb
-
In just the past few years, Ashleigh Whitton of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, had begun competing in triathlons.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
After competing in only the bars at the 2025 NCAA Championships, Blakely has emerged this season as one of the nation’s top all-around performers, capable of scoring a 10 in any event.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Facing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facing%20off. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
