face-off

1 of 2

noun

1
: a method of beginning play (as in hockey or lacrosse) in which two opponents face each other and attempt to gain control of a puck or ball dropped or placed between them
2

face off

2 of 2

verb

faced off; facing off; faces off

intransitive verb

: to be in or come into opposition or competition
politicians facing off against each other in a televised debate

Examples of face-off in a Sentence

Noun the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges Verb eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
This is a talky chamber piece of philosophical face-offs, debate duels and wordy warfare, though the outcomes remain just as harrowing. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024 But toward the end of the evening, things picked up in a big way, ultimately leaving us high from a face-off that that was a genuine knockout. Charlie Mason, TVLine, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
San Jose’s Pacific Motor Inn reopens as interim housing San Mateo County District 4 race: East Palo Alto’s Lopez and Gauthier face off Like Kraucy, 65-year-old Joseph Smith lives in his sister’s garage but often comes to meet his friends who are homeless to uplift their spirits. Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are facing off to see who will be in control of the White House for the next four years. Fernando Cervantes Jr., The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for face-off 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of face-off was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near face-off

Cite this Entry

“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-off. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

face-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈfā-ˌsȯf
1
: a method of putting a puck in play in ice hockey by dropping it between two opposing players
2
: a meeting of opposing forces : confrontation

face off

2 of 2 verb
: to be in or come into opposition or competition
politicians facing off each other in a debate

More from Merriam-Webster on face-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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