head-to-head

adverb or adjective

ˈhed-tə-ˈhed How to pronounce head-to-head (audio)
Synonyms of head-to-headnext
: in a direct confrontation or encounter usually between individuals

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of head-to-head in a Sentence

it's fitting that the two best teams during the regular season will go head-to-head for the championship
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.
That game was just the start of an epic back-and-forth that’s seen the coaches meet in two Final Fours — and win one apiece; go head-to-head in the NBA and Conference USA; and later share a state when Pitino led Louisville and Calipari helmed Kentucky. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025 Up first, two No. 11 seeds go head-to-head to determine who will advance to the first round when Big 12 program Iowa State takes on Ivy League program Princeton. — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025 Comments No disrespect to Scorpion star Katharine McPhee, but Chris Daughtry deserved to beat her in their head-to-head American Idol season 5 elimination. — Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Self, who has a 7-6 record against fellow Hall of Famer Calipari in head-to-head coaching matchups, is 1-1 versus Calipari in NCAA championship games. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for head-to-head

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of head-to-head was in 1841

Rhymes for head-to-head

See All Rhymes for head-to-head

Browse Nearby Words

headtire
head-to-head
head tone
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Head-to-head.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head-to-head. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All