Definition

within each other's sight or presence //met and talked face-to-face //a face-to-face consultation
in or into direct contact or confrontation //came face-to-face with the problem

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

Examples

//I won't believe that accusation until I meet with him face-to-face and ask him myself
//came face-to-face with her lifelong fear of flying even before the plane left the runway

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

face-to-face

adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms

in person and usually privately //I won't believe that accusation until I meet with him face-to-face and ask him myself
Synonyms

personally tête-à-tête
Related Words

familiarly intimately
confidentially secretly
directly immediately
Synonymous Phrases

in private in secret
Near Antonyms

distantly indirectly
openly publicly
in direct confrontation or competition //came face-to-face with her lifelong fear of flying even before the plane left the runway
Synonyms

eyeball-to-eyeball head-on head-to-head mano a mano one-on-one toe-to-toe