straight fight

British

noun

a contest between two candidates only

"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

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.

Ferrari’s one-three moved them ahead of Red Bull into second in the constructors’ championship, which now looks to be a straight fight between McLaren and Ferrari, with Red Bull out of contention.

From BBC

Max Verstappen, the man who Norris has become the first to beat in a straight fight this year, was the first.

From BBC

There was a certain symbolism to the fact that the first race this season in which Verstappen has been beaten in a straight fight was at the event after it was announced that Adrian Newey was leaving Red Bull.

From BBC

There was a bit of confusion when the safety car picked up Verstappen rather than Norris and the field had to be let past to run around and catch up behind Norris, but now it came down to a straight fight between the McLaren and the Red Bull.

From BBC

Whether it is enough for Ferrari to beat Red Bull in a straight fight is a different question.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023