as in head-to-head
in direct confrontation or competition
mom-and-pop grocery stores are usually wildly outmatched when they go toe-to-toe with large chain stores
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toe-to-toe
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 -
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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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
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
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Cite this Entry
“Toe-to-toe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toe-to-toe. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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