1
: a method of beginning play (as in hockey or lacrosse) in which two opponents face each other and attempt to gain control of a puck or ball dropped or placed between them
2
faced off; facing off; faces off
: to be in or come into opposition or competition
politicians facing off against each other in a televised debate
Examples of face-off in a Sentence
Noun
the annual fall face-off between these traditional rivals is a big event for both football-mad colleges
Verb
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
Recent Examples on the Web
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2026
Messi began the face-off yesterday by scoring twice at lunchtime in Dallas, but Mbappe and Haaland appeared to see that as a personal affront, matching him as the sun set in Philadelphia and New Jersey.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2026
In it, Swift and Gomez played warring frenemies, leading respective armies of famous faces in an Avengers-level face off that was heavy on special effects and drama.
—
Michael Nied,
InStyle,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
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Noun
Some fans embraced the face-off, such as Yaritza Barre, who is Ecuadorian with a Mexican husband.
—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2026
Messi began the face-off yesterday by scoring twice at lunchtime in Dallas, but Mbappe and Haaland appeared to see that as a personal affront, matching him as the sun set in Philadelphia and New Jersey.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Verb
On Sunday, England will again play at Azteca Stadium and face off with surging Mexico, the altitude in Mexico City and its hostile fans.
—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2026
In it, Swift and Gomez played warring frenemies, leading respective armies of famous faces in an Avengers-level face off that was heavy on special effects and drama.
—
Michael Nied,
InStyle,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for face-off
Cite this Entry
“Face-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/face-off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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