Synonyms

head-to-head

American

[hed-tuh-hed] / ˈhɛd təˈhɛd /

adjective

in direct confrontation, opposition, or competition.

a head-to-head battle between the two companies.

head-to-head British

adjective

in direct competition

"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

noun

a competition involving two people, teams, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of head-to-head

First recorded in 1790–1800

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.

She scored 30 in her head-to-head matchup with Robinson.

From Los Angeles Times

"One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" go head-to-head in Los Angeles on Sunday at the Screen Actors Guild's prize gala, in the last major awards ceremony before the Oscars.

From Barron's

The public spat between the dueling San Francisco companies showcased an intense rivalry between OpenAI and Anthropic as they go head-to-head in a battle that could shape the technology’s future.

From Los Angeles Times

It may seem like an attempt to go head-to-head with Gilead, but in reality, the companies have partnered to develop even more powerful drugs.

From Barron's

Rather than go head-to-head with companies like Anthropic by developing its own foundation models, IBM is positioning itself as “the enterprise orchestrator of AI deployment” in his eyes.

From Barron's

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