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
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Example Sentences
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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
See All Example Sentences for mano a mano
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
See All Example Sentences for mano a mano
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mano a mano
Adverb
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The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will go head-to-head for football glory at Super Bowl 60 on Sunday.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
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Brawley was able to win two of the three head-to-head matches against Poway in the final.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Any terms related to the loss of land, for example, can be resolved only when Zelensky and Putin meet face-to-face.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
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Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabate and the two appeared to butt heads.—
Steve Reed,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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One man died as the result of a head-on traffic collision Sunday in Washtenaw County, the Michigan State Police reported.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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Speaking head-on to the camera, Porizkova seemed to call out anyone who implies a teenager is old enough to be considered not a child.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mano a mano.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mano%20a%20mano. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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