one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən 

ˌwən-än-

1

: playing directly against a single opposing player

2

: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Synonyms

• eyeball-to-eyeball
• face-to-face
• head-on
• head-to-head
• mano a mano
• toe-to-toe

Examples of one-on-one in a Sentence

bragged that no one could go one-on-one with her in a game of darts and win

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite my reservations about another one-on-one hang after declaring group hangs my thing post-Timeleft, spending time with Ariana was effortless and renewed my hope for the apps. —Allie Volpe, Vox, 14 Nov. 2024

Encourage managers to check in with team members one-on-one. —Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Gary Bettman on skyrocketing NHL team valuations and more The longest serving commissioner in sports history, Bettman had a wide-ranging one-on-one conversation with Rob Tillis, the CEO of Inner Circle Sports. —Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Authorities claim in an arrest warrant that Blanchard, who worked at EPIC Behavioral Healthcare in St. Augustine, Fla., began having one-on-one sessions with the teen after first seeing him in group counseling. —Liam Quinn, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1