as in head-to-head
in direct confrontation or competition
the two brothers decided to go mano a mano in one final match to determine who was the better tennis player
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mano a mano
Adverb
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Those players know it and get an up-close look at their award competition with six head-to-head matchups in September.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025 -
This year, Tillman went head-to-head with another Severance star Zach Cherry.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Sandmann, then a Covington Catholic student, was at the center of a media firestorm after a video showed him face-to-face with a Native American elder.—
Jolene Almendarez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Sep. 2025
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Once both animals are comfortable, a face-to-face introduction can occur.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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By tackling academic challenges head-on, students can focus on growth instead of fear of failure.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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But anyone who responds to preventable tragedies like this—tragedies that over time begin to erode the very fabric of our country—by refusing to face the problem of gun violence and crime head-on is missing the point.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mano a mano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mano%20a%20mano. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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