as in competing
to engage in a contest
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
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Recent Examples of facing off
Castro, who was elected to the commission in April 2023 and is frequently at odds with Lago, will be facing off against first-time candidate Nestor Menendez, an of-counsel attorney at DiFalco and Fernandez LLLP, for her Group 4 seat.
—
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Democrat Analilia Mejia, Republican Joe Hathaway and Independent Alan Bond are facing off for the critical seat ahead of the midterm elections.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Other moments involve the pair facing off with wild animals.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Tournament of Champions returned for its seventh season on March 1, with 32 chefs facing off in the kitchen.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Mills is facing off against Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, in a high-profile Democratic primary.
—Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Angels slugger Jorge Soler was at the plate facing off against Braves pitcher Reynaldo López.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The teams maintain a friendly rivalry, facing off in exhibition games as well as home-and-away series during the regular season.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Samara Weaving returns with sharper edges, this time facing off against four families in a plot that veers toward global domination.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Democrat Analilia Mejia, Republican Joe Hathaway and Independent Alan Bond are facing off for the critical seat ahead of the midterm elections.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Other moments involve the pair facing off with wild animals.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Tournament of Champions returned for its seventh season on March 1, with 32 chefs facing off in the kitchen.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Mills is facing off against Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, in a high-profile Democratic primary.
—Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Angels slugger Jorge Soler was at the plate facing off against Braves pitcher Reynaldo López.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The teams maintain a friendly rivalry, facing off in exhibition games as well as home-and-away series during the regular season.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Samara Weaving returns with sharper edges, this time facing off against four families in a plot that veers toward global domination.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facing off
competing
Verb
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But after years of competing for a full gambling license, the operation has all the hallmarks of a Las Vegas-style casino.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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The storytelling is wonky, given the film’s competing needs to be Miranda-blunt about the modern magazine business while pairing marvelously with a glass of rosé.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Facing off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facing%20off. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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