as in competing
to engage in a contest
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
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Recent Examples of facing off
The first 30 minutes had the disjointed, stop-start look of two freshmen quarterbacks facing off, struggling to find their respective rhythms early.
—
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
So, two or more House incumbents could end up facing off in the November 2026 general election.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays are facing off in the World Series as LA looks to become baseball's first back-to-back champions in a quarter-century, and the Blue Jays will try to win their first Fall Classic since 1993.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Canadian Thanksgiving, with the Toronto Blue Jays facing off against the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Lewis Tan led the 2021 film as Cole Young, an MMA fighter facing off against Outworld enemies in a high-stakes battle for the universe.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025
The Mariners begin their bid to reach a first ever World Series on Sunday, facing off against the Toronto Blue Jays in Canada.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
On season 28, Sophie joined Alex Guarnaschelli in facing off against her father and actually beat him.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
The weekend marks a major milestone for the NBA, as years of rebuilding its relationship with its second-largest market culminate with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets facing off in the Venetian Arena here.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
So, two or more House incumbents could end up facing off in the November 2026 general election.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays are facing off in the World Series as LA looks to become baseball's first back-to-back champions in a quarter-century, and the Blue Jays will try to win their first Fall Classic since 1993.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Canadian Thanksgiving, with the Toronto Blue Jays facing off against the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Lewis Tan led the 2021 film as Cole Young, an MMA fighter facing off against Outworld enemies in a high-stakes battle for the universe.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025
The Mariners begin their bid to reach a first ever World Series on Sunday, facing off against the Toronto Blue Jays in Canada.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
On season 28, Sophie joined Alex Guarnaschelli in facing off against her father and actually beat him.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
The weekend marks a major milestone for the NBA, as years of rebuilding its relationship with its second-largest market culminate with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets facing off in the Venetian Arena here.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facing off
competing
Verb
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Artists right behind Lamar include Lady Gaga, with seven nominations, and Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter with six nominations — with all four artists competing in each of the album, record and song of the year categories.—
Eric Renner Brown,
Billboard,
11 Nov. 2025
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In fact, a 2024 British Journal of Sports Medicine study funded in part by the IOC found that trans women athletes may face several disadvantages when competing with cisgender women, such as less lower body strength and a lower maximum rate of oxygen consumption than both cis women and cis men.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Facing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facing%20off. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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