as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of face-off
Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 30 June 2025
College admission often feels like a similar face-off between families, leaving them confused, concerned, and conjecturing.
—Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 19 July 2025
The two faced off for the second time in April 2019 at UFC 236.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Noun
From dozens of local favorites to this final face-off, it’s been a journey filled with fierce competition and plenty of salsa.
—Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 30 June 2025
College admission often feels like a similar face-off between families, leaving them confused, concerned, and conjecturing.
—Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
The festivities began on Thursday, but the main event happens Saturday night, as Napheesa Collier’s squad faces off against Caitlin Clark’s roster.
—Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 19 July 2025
The two faced off for the second time in April 2019 at UFC 236.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged Amazon didn't consider the Falcon 9 due to an intense and personal rivalry between Bezos and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
18 July 2025
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However, the trade rivalry between the U.S. and China has been weighing heavily on the industry.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
Verb
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In contrast, the Cincinnati area is aging more quickly and struggling to draw in younger workers — a trend that, according to the chamber's report, could hinder the region’s ability to compete with other metros in business growth, infrastructure development, and innovation.—
Randy Tucker,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
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Teams are competing to win the $50,000 grand prize.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Coming weeks after Lexington and Concord, the battle marked the British effort to control the hills surrounding Boston’s harbor.—
Brian T. Allen,
National Review,
19 July 2025
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There was a long legal battle, that went on for years.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
19 July 2025
Verb
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In previous filings, Stone contended that forensic evidence would show that whoever shot Reuter was much taller than Yang.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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He was expected to contend for the team's lead running back role with the departure of veteran Nick Chubb.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
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The quarterback then took it up a notch, challenging fans to a shotgun duel near the 17th tee.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
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More encouraging still is how seamlessly Carreras slotted into that position against Atletico, completing 74 of his 78 passes, winning all eight of his ground duels and defending the wide spaces well.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Even as Russia races to perfect a nuclear-armed spacecraft, its space weapons designers are likely also preparing to launch a stealth alternative to similarly threaten constellations of Western satellites speeding around the planet.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Max Verstappen has raced alongside three different teammates since the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, namely Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, and now Yuki Tsunoda.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
Noun
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While RuPaul holds the record, Klum is hot on her tail, as the Project Runway host returns to the fashion competition program on July 31 for the first time since 2017, as the show moves from Bravo to Freeform, Hulu, and Disney+.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
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Despite the efforts, LG is contending with intensifying competition in Korea’s AI race, which has yet to see a clear winner.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
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According to police, 38-year-old Cynthia Valeska Díaz Sosa was arrested July 9 in Key West after a confrontation with another driver, Perla DeMiller.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
18 July 2025
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Midas kills Araña after a confrontation fueled by accusations of betrayal.—
Time,
Time,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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