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
George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
In addition to its face-off with Musk, OpenAI has been dealing with an outflow of high-level talent, due in part to concerns that the company has focused on taking commercial products to market at the expense of safety.
—Hayden Field, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024
Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Before Friday’s game, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions will face off in the Orange Bowl at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for face-off 
Noun
The 59-year-old, two-time WWE Hall of Famer, and five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, had previously expressed his intention to return to the ring after a face-off with Fatu.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
In addition to its face-off with Musk, OpenAI has been dealing with an outflow of high-level talent, due in part to concerns that the company has focused on taking commercial products to market at the expense of safety.
—Hayden Field, CNBC, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
While there are a number of teams that are established threats to the advance to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, both Gronkowski and Brees believe the Lions and Bills will be facing off to win their first Vince Lombardi Trophy.
—Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Before Friday’s game, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions will face off in the Orange Bowl at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for face-off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for face-off
Noun
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During his visit, Boric reaffirmed Chile's commitment to the treaty, emphasizing that its provisions safeguard Antarctica from geopolitical rivalries.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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The rivalry between Clark and Angel Reese became one of the hottest in sports after their meeting in the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game, when Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes.Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Croatian star Donna Vekic, for instance, is competing in Australia without her coach Pam Shriver, who is back in LA supporting her family.Ben Church, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025
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Messi will also compete for other domestic cups and hopefully steer clear of injuries like those that hampered him at stages last year.Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Osbourne didn't share much about her treatment, but this update comes on the heels of her recent battle with a high fever over the holidays.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Yarrow died at his home in New York City after a four-year battle with bladder cancer, his publicist Ken Sunshine told USA TODAY.Anika Reed, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Moreover, many thought leaders and AI evangelists contend that predictive AI delivers greater returns than genAI.Eric Siegel, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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It should be noted, too, that Houston wants to contend in 2025 and is still in search of another leverage reliever, even with Pressly still on the roster.Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ragen is a steady bedrock, winning 67% of his aerial duels while being more difficult to dribble past than most in his position.Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
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All-wheel drive isn’t available throughout the race, just during the qualifying duels, when launching off the grid, and in Attack Mode.James Morris, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The breaths slow your heart rate, while the math keeps your mind from racing.Amanda Schupak, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2025
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Runners race the Pasadena area near the legendary stadium before finishing the run on the field.Ryan Morik, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Knowing how to hold your own in a game of pool is great for social situations with friends who want a little competition.Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
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Yes, Josh Hader had departed, but Robert Suarez was first in line in a competition — at least as it was laid out at the start of spring training — that included former Korean closer Woo-Suk Go.Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His public relations instinct was for confrontation, not conciliation.Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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The show was often ripe with family drama, confrontation, controversial topics, screaming matches and physical altercations between guests while on set.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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 18 Jan. 2025.
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