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one-on-one

one-on-one

adjective

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

one on one

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]

Synonyms

one-on-one

American

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

adjective

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

a one-on-one discussion.

adverb

in direct encounter.

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

noun

a meeting or confrontation between two persons.

idioms

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

one-on-one British

adjective

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

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]

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

one-on-ones

plural

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.

His friends and former clerks describe him as a quiet workaholic who tends to defer to other people in one-on-one conversations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

Americans have largely heard about the famous French creche system of public daycares, but the French government also subsidizes the kind of one-on-one at-home care that many parents of infants prefer.

From Slate • Jul. 6, 2026

Administering the one-on-one assessment is also time-consuming, pulling teachers away from instructional time.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026