head-to-head

adverb

ˈhed-tə-ˈhed How to pronounce head-to-head (audio)
Definition of head-to-headnext
as in toe-to-toe
in direct confrontation or competition it's fitting that the two best teams during the regular season will go head-to-head for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of head-to-head The two candidates have gone head-to-head in recent weeks over support of police and plans to fight corruption in what’s sure to be one of the top races to watch this fall. — Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2026 The series will see 16 people compete head-to-head for a $250,000 cash prize. — Peter White, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026 In the end, two family businesses — Innescas Sweets of Europe and The Sweet Spoon Bakery — went head-to-head to win your hearts. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026 Now, in a new head-to-head clinical study of the three diets, researchers found that people with obesity who lost weight on the keto diet saw better metabolic outcomes than their peers who lost a similar amount of weight on another diet. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026 And, if teams are tied, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head record. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The head-to-head series between Gauff and Pegula is now tied at five apiece. — Jeff Wallner, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Misiorowski pitched six shutout innings Friday in his first head-to-head matchup with Sale, who allowed two runs over six innings. — ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026 When Adam Lowry is playing well, going head-to-head with the NHL’s best offensive players, the Winnipeg Jets win hockey games. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-to-head
  1. face-to-face
  2. head-on
Adverb
  • What happens next are the most dramatic and twisted moments of his life, as these mysterious events bring Sam face-to-face with his younger self.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • No one should have to drive downtown simply to sign a document and never actually talk to someone who can answer their questions, face-to-face, in detail.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of face-to-face
Adverb
  • Whichever the case, the stuff needs to be dealt with head-on, and there’s no better time to do so than in the present.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026
  • Volvo shared some new crash footage with Popular Science, showing how their design choices protect drivers even during head-on moose collisions.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Definition of head-on

Browse Nearby Words

heads-ups
head-to-head
headwaiter
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Cite this Entry

“Head-to-head.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-to-head. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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