mano a mano

adverb

ˌmä-nō-ä-ˈmä-nō How to pronounce mano a mano (audio)
Definition of mano a manonext
as in head-to-head
in direct confrontation or competition the two brothers decided to go mano a mano in one final match to determine who was the better tennis player

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 mano a mano There was no mano a mano moment between James and Bryant. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026 Zoë survived two blasts and one mano a mano confrontation with Beelzebub! — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025 Though neither is exactly a revelation — in the sense that these talents were revealed long ago — each gets space for menacing monologues and mano a mano match-ups. — Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025 Surreal and dreamlike vignettes, and some laugh out loud moments of levity, break up mano a mano scenes in that hut that test the intensity of Bean and Day-Lewis. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mano a mano
  1. head-to-head
  2. face-to-face
  3. head-on
Adverb
  • This week, the Dodgers will go head-to-head against the Brewers, and the Guardians will face the Rays in the best-of-seven Championship series.
    — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Enter Crossplay, The New York Times’s first head-to-head multiplayer game.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of head-to-head
Adverb
  • They are engineered to swivel seamlessly and create a cozy, face-to-face conversational layout when the vehicle is stationary.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Navarro reentered the ring and came face-to-face with his hero – Amazing Red.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of face-to-face
Adverb
  • Martinez came out to meet a free kick into the area and had a head-on-head clash with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite midway through the second half of the match at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • If two typical galaxies met in a head-on collision, the dark matter would experience very little friction, or drag, and would keep on rocketing by.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of head-on

Browse Nearby Words

mannishness
mano a mano
man of letters
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Cite this Entry

“Mano a mano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mano%20a%20mano. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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