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Synonyms

one-on-one

American  
[wuhn-on-wuhn, -awn-] / ˈwʌn ɒnˈwʌn, -ɔn- /

adjective

  1. consisting of or involving direct individual competition, confrontation, or communication; person-to-person.

    a one-on-one discussion.

adverb

  1. in direct encounter.

    I'd rather settle this with her one-on-one.

noun

  1. a meeting or confrontation between two persons.

idioms

  1. go one-on-one with, to play directly against (an opposing player).

one-on-one British  

adjective

  1. denoting a relationship or encounter in which someone is involved with only one other person

    a one-on-one meeting
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
one on one More Idioms  

  1. A direct encounter between two persons, especially a conflict, as in The two department heads went one on one regarding shelf space. This slangy expression almost certainly comes from sports. It is commonly used to refer to a two-person basketball game, but is also applied to the interaction of two players on opposing teams in football, soccer, and similar team sports. [c. 1960]

Etymology

Origin of one-on-one

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

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.

He has an individualized education plan stating that he needs constant one-on-one supervision.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Bee will learn about users through one-on-one conversations with them and uses those insights to find their most compatible matches on the platform.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

The purest form of feedback, he said, comes from one-on-one interactions in real life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

So it’s not as though Harris and Newsom would face each other in a one-on-one fight.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

Dolly tried to slide into him, but he was too quick He flicked the ball to the right, hurded over her, and came at me one-on-one.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

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.