Jump To:

• face-to-face
  face-to-face

  adjective

  with the fronts or faces toward each other, especially when close together.
• face to face
  face to face

  adverb

  opposite one another

face-to-face

American  

[fays-tuh-fays] / ˈfeɪs təˈfeɪs /

adjective

1. with the fronts or faces toward each other, especially when close together.

2. involving close contact or direct opposition.

   a face-to-face confrontation of adversaries.

3. 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.

---

face to face British  

adverb

1. opposite one another

2. in confrontation

---

face to face Idioms  

1. 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]

2. Confronting each other, as in We were face to face with death during the avalanche . [Late 1800s]

---

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of face-to-face

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

---

Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

face-to-face face to face

Employees still prepared the meals, but the design dramatically reduced the need for face-to-face interaction.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

The programme includes face-to-face workshops and informal peer support social groups and covers a range of topics, including managing anxiety and stress and boosting self-esteem.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

Close-up shots of him face-to-face with Holmes have ricocheted across social media and already become the stuff of meme gold.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Step around, and potentially inside, awe-inspiring vehicles from the film, or come face-to-face with the Bene Gesserit, a group of priestesses who possess, among other things, the ability to bend the will of others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

Burry disliked talking to people face-to-face and thought of these letters as the single most important thing he did to let his investors know what he was up to.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

A defiant Infantino will come face to face with some of his fiercest critics at what could be a spicy gathering in Zurich.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Having come face to face with its most brutal consequences, Cassie’s rose-colored glasses have been removed, stomped on, ground to a pulp and had their remains burnt to ash.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

After traumatic events, they also need to process what happened face to face before returning to screens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Soon, he finds himself face to face with … himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Alex turned—and came face to face with the sneering mug of Calvin Butts.

From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• eye to eye

---