as in head-to-head
in direct confrontation or competition
mom-and-pop grocery stores are usually wildly outmatched when they go toe-to-toe with large chain stores
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toe-to-toe
Adverb
-
Thayer is now ahead of the Lions in the league standings due to the head-to-head victory and a strong finish to the year could put the program in a bowl game.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025 -
Memphis has a worse loss than South Florida, but the Tigers have a head-to-head win and a victory over an SEC team in Arkansas.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The 18-year-old continued on in the sedan, before crashing head-on with another pickup truck, driven by 21-year-old Scott Hakes, Action News Jax reported.—
Lindsay Kimble,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Neff is accused of driving a Dodge pickup the wrong direction down the highway in Carneys Point Township, crashing head-on into the teenagers’ car.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
But while a Halloween marathon is a seasonal must, trying to figure out how to watch all 13 films can feel as daunting as coming face-to-face with the Shape himself.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
-
However, the saga unearths new layers in the second season as Natalia shares her harrowing experiences with her adoptive parents and has a face-to-face confrontation with Michael.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Toe-to-toe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toe-to-toe. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share