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

Example Sentences

The social-media trial drew more scrutiny than he predicted before he joined the plaintiff’s team last fall and was brought face-to-face with Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

However, “transparent” in regulatory terms does not always mean face-to-face disclosures.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

A German government official described a "certain momentum" on the pipeline issue -- seeing a chance of a breakthrough when leaders come face-to-face on Thursday.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Now, for the first time, Williams has travelled thousands of miles to meet Orme face-to-face.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

She knew they would come face-to-face with Gia Trivelino to rescue Masterji Thakur.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• eye to eye