head-to-head

adverb

ˈhed-tə-ˈhed How to pronounce head-to-head (audio)
Definition of head-to-headnext
as in toe-to-toe
in direct confrontation or competition it's fitting that the two best teams during the regular season will go head-to-head for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 head-to-head The experimental diabetes and obesity drug retatrutide continues to show impressive results in clinical trials, with the latest study comparing the medication head-to-head with the GLP-1 medication Ozempic (semaglutide). — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Lilly’s triple-G drug beats Ozempic in head-to-head study Eli Lilly said this morning that its investigational drug retatrutide was more effective at lowering blood sugar and cutting weight than Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic in a large diabetes study. — Elaine Chen, STAT, 28 Oct. 2026 After Monday night’s 38-21 Cowboys win over the Eagles, Dallas (+115) moved back ahead of the Giants (+125) as the betting odds favorite to claim the division crown, even with New York owning its Week 1 head-to-head win against them. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 27 Oct. 2026 One solution is to ask voters to rank the candidates, then choose whoever would defeat every rival in a head-to-head contest. — Alex Stone, Quanta Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 In the private school realm, Grapevine Faith overtook Fort Worth Christian with a head-to-head win over the Cardinals. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026 In head-to-head matchups about who is better suited to be prime minister, Eisenkot has led Netanyahu by a steady margin. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Racers will go head-to-head two teams at a time, with the top two fastest teams competing in the final race. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo go head-to-head in a killer duet. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-to-head
  1. face-to-face
  2. head-on
Adverb
  • Younger generations have grown up with technology in a way that’s left them with fewer opportunities to practice face-to-face interactions.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In this vein, moving away from a brand-centric model and embracing a more client-facing approach, getting to know visitors face-to-face remains the ultimate personalization tool.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of face-to-face
Adverb
  • Addressing this head-on, in the moment, could come across as combative.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Chris and Shane are both capable of facing this challenge head-on and finding a way to achieve the results that our fans deserve, which is winning games, getting to the postseason and ultimately winning championships.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of head-on

Browse Nearby Words

heads-ups
head-to-head
headwaiter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Head-to-head.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-to-head. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All