with the fronts or faces toward each other, especially when close together.
involving close contact or direct opposition.
a face-to-face confrontation of adversaries.
noting, relating to, or promoting interaction that takes place in person, as opposed to online interaction or electronic communications: f2f, F2F, FTF, ftf
face-to-face classrooms.
opposite one another
in confrontation
In each other's presence, opposite one another; in direct communication. For example, The two chairmen sat face to face , or It's time his parents met the teacher face to face . [Mid-1300s]
Confronting each other, as in We were face to face with death during the avalanche . [Late 1800s]
What does face-to-face mean? Face-to-face describes an interaction that takes place in person, as opposed to over the phone or online, as in Instead of emailing back and forth, let’s meet face-to-face in my office this afternoon. It is also commonly spelled without hyphens, as face to face. Sometimes the phrase is used as a noun referring to such a meeting, as in Let’s schedule a face-to-face for Friday morning. (In this usage, the term is almost always hyphenated.)Sometimes face-to-face indicates direct competition or confrontation, as in This is the first time these two players will have had a face-to-face match-up. In this sense, the term is very similar to head-to-head, which is probably more commonly used for such situations, especially in the context of sports. This sense of the word can also be used metaphorically to refer to a direct encounter with something, especially death or something else negative. In its most literal sense, face-to-face describes two things or people that are positioned so that they are facing each other, often close together, as in Please sit face-to-face with your partner for the practice interview or When you place these on the shelf, make sure they’re face-to-face instead of back-to-back.
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50
Doing something face-to-face means it's happening in close proximity to another person. When you're meeting face-to-face with your teacher, the two of you are together and speaking directly to each other. As an adverb or adjective, face-to-face describes in-person interactions. If you're frustrated with an issue in your city, you might demand a face-to-face conversation with the mayor. And if you have sad news to convey, don't send a text: "I wanted to tell you face-to-face that I killed your plant." Being forced to confront something difficult is another use for this word: "It was at the karaoke party that I came face-to-face with my inability to carry a tune."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Iran denied there had even been talks with the U.S., though efforts are under way to have both sides meet face to face this week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Johnson’s competitiveness was legendary, and Welch remembers a passing tournament in which he and Johnson went face to face.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
"It was nice to know that I wasn't going to be judged... I get very anxious, especially face to face," she says.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
Out of all the job applications she has done, only one has resulted in a face to face interview - mostly, she says, she gets no reply at all or a fairly quick rejection.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
I was brought face to face with Necessity.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
