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
All four games of this season’s head-to-head series required extra time, including three shootouts, with the Charge winning three of the four matchups against the Fleet.
—
Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2026
The worldwide dance tournament hosted 16 dancers from across the country in a dance contest featuring eclectic styles and moves as the crowd judged the best dancers in head-to-head competitions all night.
—Dominick Williams
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
After a head-to-head collision, Huitema was taken off as a concussion substitute in the 72nd minute.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Take, for example, Republican James Fishback, who, according to recent polling from Keystone Analytics, beats Jolly by almost five points in a head-to-head matchup.
—Thomas C. Shank, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head-to-head
Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2026
The worldwide dance tournament hosted 16 dancers from across the country in a dance contest featuring eclectic styles and moves as the crowd judged the best dancers in head-to-head competitions all night.
—Dominick Williams
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
After a head-to-head collision, Huitema was taken off as a concussion substitute in the 72nd minute.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Take, for example, Republican James Fishback, who, according to recent polling from Keystone Analytics, beats Jolly by almost five points in a head-to-head matchup.
—Thomas C. Shank, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for head-to-head
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-to-head
Adverb
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So far, Aoun has refused to engage in face-to-face discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding a complete halt to Israeli fire on the country.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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Your words have impact, whether face-to-face or by email.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Adverb
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Perkins, who is CEO of Canva, addressed head-on the concerns among many who work in creative industries about the potential for AI to supplant human labor.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
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Figures of Crisis makes productive use of this commonplace idea by tackling it head-on and turning it inside out.—
Ara H. Merjian,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Head-to-head.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-to-head. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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