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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Recent Examples of face-off
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
The bottom line: Cryptocurrency is the last topic the agency cited in today's release about the end of his tenure, but that face-off will be what his tenure will be remembered for.
—Brady Dale, Axios, 21 Nov. 2024
Ray Long, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Drake and Kendrick Lamar will face off, yet again, in the Rap categories— specifically Top Rap Artist and Top Male Rap Artist.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for face-off 
Noun
By the calculus of marquee appeal, this final face-off makes sense: What could be more rousing, in theory, than Mescal versus Denzel — than pitting a rising star against one of Hollywood’s most bankable veterans?
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
The bottom line: Cryptocurrency is the last topic the agency cited in today's release about the end of his tenure, but that face-off will be what his tenure will be remembered for.
—Brady Dale, Axios, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium, with the implications for the season on the line.
—Ray Long, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Drake and Kendrick Lamar will face off, yet again, in the Rap categories— specifically Top Rap Artist and Top Male Rap Artist.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is inactive for Sunday's rivalry matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Just look at what even happened in college football, some of these rivalry games and things of that nature over the weekend.Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Looking ahead to 2025, Muniz will compete full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 33 Ford F-150 for Reaume Brothers Racing.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
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This put pressure on the industry to develop technological solutions as companies competed to develop better products.Susan Solomon, WIRED, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What was expected to be an epic battle for the ages between big-market clubs such as the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets is finally over.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Creating great content is only half the battle—activation is key.Yogesh Shah, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The 15-count complaint contends that Teeter should not have released the police dog into the vehicle Alexander-Garcia was allegedly trying to steal and should not have pursued him on foot or jumped into the car.Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
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Rogan then contended that multiple factors have affected Trump’s legal fight, including his victory in the presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris, which prompted the cases to be dropped.Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is challenging Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to an AI duel.Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2024
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The bouts were true Mexican boxing classics that left both fighters physically scarred, as neither of them was the same after those three duels in the span of a year.Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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He was called up after Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to Philadelphia and raced to Columbus the next morning for practice.Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
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But Manchin raced across town from a previous engagement to deliver the fatal blow, 50-49.Axios, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Once the initial shock subsides, Kit and Theo decide this is the perfect opportunity to prove who won the breakup – with a hookup competition.Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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The campaign came ahead of the 37th America’s Cup sailing competition, which took place in Barcelona in the fall.Luisa Zargani, WWD, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The camera was quickly turned off, but Mason’s indelible memory of that confrontation lives on, not only in his mind but also in the new movie September 5, in limited theaters Dec. 13.Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
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For those families who consider gift giving a nonnegotiable aspect of the holidays, Ward encourages people to buy something small to avoid confrontations.Julianna Bragg, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near face-off
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/face-off. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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