as in toe-to-toe
in direct confrontation or competition
it's fitting that the two best teams during the regular season will go head-to-head for the championship
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Recent Examples of head-to-head
Introducing The Courier Journal's Nacho Madness bracket, where 16 competitors vying for the title of Louisville's favorite nachos will go head-to-head.
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Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Luke Loucks’ group lost by three in the first head-to-head in Dallas, but the Seminoles have gone 8-2 since then.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Palencia and Venezuela will challenge Domínguez and the Dominican Republic at the top of Pool D, their head-to-head matchup coming in their last game of pool play Wednesday.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
After winning the first two matchups against the Hornets this season, the Heat can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Hornets with a win in either of the teams’ two remaining matchups.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head-to-head
Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Mar. 2026
Luke Loucks’ group lost by three in the first head-to-head in Dallas, but the Seminoles have gone 8-2 since then.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Palencia and Venezuela will challenge Domínguez and the Dominican Republic at the top of Pool D, their head-to-head matchup coming in their last game of pool play Wednesday.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
After winning the first two matchups against the Hornets this season, the Heat can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Hornets with a win in either of the teams’ two remaining matchups.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head-to-head
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-to-head
Adverb
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Off-site meetings are designed to get the ball rolling and bring teams together face-to-face.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
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Despite the challenges, career experts say students should lean into internships, networking opportunities and campus career fairs, where face-to-face connections can still make a difference.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Two people died and another person suffered major injuries after two vehicles crashed in a head-on collision late Monday on Interstate 5 in Yolo County, the California Highway Patrol reported.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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Whatever Resecker's intention, his truck slammed head-on into the Potabathula family minivan.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Head-to-head.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-to-head. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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