one-on-one
adjective
consisting of or involving direct individual competition, confrontation, or communication; person-to-person.
Showing results for one-on-one.
Search instead for
one-on-one video.
Jump To:
-
one-on-one
-
one on one
one on oneA 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]
one-on-one
American
[wuhn-on-wuhn, -awn-]
/ ˈwʌn ɒnˈwʌn, -ɔn- /
adjective
adverb
noun
-
one-on-ones
plural
idioms
one-on-one
British
adjective
one on one
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
Destroys on stage during our weekly “Roast Battle” competition on Tuesdays in the Belly Room where comedians face off in a brutally funny one-on-one insult slug fest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Tennessee musician James Rogers, president of the board of the American Eagle Foundation - which joined forces with Dollywood for a bald eagle sanctuary - recalled the singer's unrivalled kindness and one-on-one attentiveness.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
“Nothing should replace that one-on-one teacher interaction with students,” McMahon said, calling for “AI with guardrails.”
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
“That’s not something that a large corporation could really capture unless they’re having the one-on-one conversations with each of these buyers, as I am,” Adeyemo said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
“She’ll get one-on-one attention, counseling, and a first-rate education.”
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Texas A&M’s M.B.A. candidates are required to do intense preparation before career fairs, and a counselor met with him one on one to help him prepare for specific interviews and practice salary negotiations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
The leaders then spent more than half an hour talking one on one, before a classic of the Trumpian genre – a rolling, free-wheeling question-and-answer session with reporters, lasting more than an hour.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2025
Hemp coming into the game later with her electric speed, dribbling capabilities and ability to go one on one against full-backs could make an impact.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2025
He said he has continued having productive discussions one on one with officials from other states.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2024
Then Coach Spinks turned his attention toward his returning players, letting them go one on one while he shouted instructions to the defensive players.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
He has shown he is able to take one-on-ones on and make it difficult for the defenders he is facing.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
He draws so many double teams that it frees teammates with one-on-ones.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2025
They have had some wins in the one-on-ones with defensive linemen that we’ve seen the past two days since pads went on.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 2, 2023
Dear Miss Manners: Being blown off for meetings, including my one-on-ones, has taken the wind out of my sails, professionally.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2023
In one-on-ones, advantage is to the shooter, especially if he’s as good as this guy.
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
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.
