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• 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  

[feys-tuh-feys] / 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.

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face to face British  

adverb

1. opposite one another

2. in confrontation

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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]

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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

A Sydney woman who survived a shark attack has described the moment she came face-to-face with a 4m great white before repeatedly punching it.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

But landing another face-to-face exchange will take convincing a North Korean leader who has spurned U.S. outreach in recent years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

The showdown in Sherman Oaks was the first face-to-face debate since Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman emerged as the top vote-getters in the June 2 mayoral primary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

The previous time either of us had been face-to-face with a tick was years earlier, after a weekend in the wilds of Northern Michigan.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

Why can’t the officer stand and talk to me face-to-face, like a normal human being?

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

How would it feel to find yourself face to face with one of the Arctic's most formidable predators?

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

A ceasefire on April 8 halted the conflict, but negotiation efforts, including historic face to face talks hosted in Islamabad have so far failed to yield a lasting agreement.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

The Chamber of Secrets plunges Harry and his friends deeper into the dark mysteries of Hogwarts in their second year, bringing them face to face with dangerous creatures and old enemies.

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

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

The following morning, Rowan came face to face with a scythe.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

• eye to eye