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  

[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.

---

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

But for everyone who feels empowered by portals, others feel frustrated and disenfranchised by the technology, the information overload or the lack of face-to-face interaction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Xi is due to hold face-to-face talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Saturday, according to New Delhi's foreign ministry.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

She did say the sale was not conducted through a formal bidding process, but proceeded through face-to-face discussions between Kroenke and Moreno.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Others involved interactive in-person group meetings or hybrid approaches that combined face-to-face activities with online tools and virtual sessions.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

Back home they probably would have had the decency to whisper, but here they felt free to say whatever they wanted, face-to-face and in a normal tone of voice.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

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

“We’re going to need a miracle,” the Asgardian says before he is shown coming face to face with his old friend.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 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

Following that, Seedat contacted Calocane's then consultant, urging him to see the patient face to face.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

Principal Trask bends down a little so we are face to face.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Related Words

• eye to eye