one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən How to pronounce one-on-one (audio)
ˌwən-än-
Synonyms of one-on-onenext
1
: playing directly against a single opposing player
2
: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Examples of one-on-one in a Sentence

bragged that no one could go one-on-one with her in a game of darts and win
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.
Baresi collected the ball on the edge of his own penalty area, buccaneered forward, combined with one team-mate then another, and went through one-on-one with the goalkeeper. James Horncastle, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Classes are capped at 12 students, with one-on-one lessons also available. Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026 Johnson plans to focus his one-on-one with Leo on the pope’s sweeping encyclical released Monday that condemned the Holy See’s role in legitimizing slavery, while cautioning the public that today’s reliance on artificial intelligence could spell a new form of colonialism. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026 Medicare pays providers about $53 for the first 30 minutes of one-on-one training and about $25 for each additional 15 minutes. Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-on-one

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-on-one was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“One-on-one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-on-one. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

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