man-to-man
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of man-to-man
First recorded in 1570–80
Explanation
Something man-to-man is straightforward and personal. If your dad has something very important to tell you, he might sit you down for a man-to-man conversation. You could also describe a man-to-man talk as being "one-on-one" or even "woman-to-woman," since man-to-man obviously excludes anyone who's not male. The term has an implication of extreme honesty: "It might hurt your feelings, but I think it's time for a man-to-man chat about your grades." You can also use man-to-man to mean "player to player," a common sports defense strategy in which every player guards one specific opponent.
Vocabulary lists containing man-to-man
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There have been concerns among fans this season that the game's top teams, faced with stubborn man-to-man defensive set-ups, are taking a less risky approach in attack.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Against Madrid, Bayern set up to man-to-man from opposition goal-kicks.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Igor Tudor, who succeed Frank on an interim basis but lasted just seven matches, obviously struggled at Spurs but what he did do was to introduce man-to-man marking as their main defensive tactic.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Fairfax kept switching from man-to-man to a trapping zone on defense, and it produced lots of Cleveland turnovers in the second half.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026
He was trying to impress this on the sophomores and, in this game, that meant constantly changing the defense to keep the other team off guard; man-to-man, and zone, 1-2-2, 1-3-1.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
