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.
The tariffs were paused after Trump and Xi's last face-to-face meeting in South Korea in October.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
But then COVID-19 struck and, although she wanted to continue the book club via Zoom, Ford admits, “I’m not a Zoom kind of girl. I need the interaction, the face-to-face connection with women.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
President Aoun has backed direct, face-to-face talks and said the ceasefire should evolve into a more "permanent agreement".
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Digital interactions are replacing face-to-face interactions with loved ones and strangers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026
But what she cannot be as certain about are the criteria she uses to form her preferences in that first instant of meeting someone face-to-face.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
