face-to-face

face-to-face — adverb

1. with both people physically together, looking directly at one another, rather th

1.adverbB1
Definition

with both people physically together, looking directly at one another, rather than communicating from a distance by phone, video call, or text.

Example

Ryo and Heather discussed the contract face-to-face rather than over email.

discussed + face-to-face, contrasted with written communication

The two managers met face-to-face to resolve their long-running disagreement.

met face-to-face + purpose clause (to resolve…)

Common collocations
  • meet face-to-face
  • talk face-to-face
  • speak face-to-face
  • discuss face-to-face
  • deal face-to-face
  • communicate face-to-face
Synonyms
  • in person

    broader in meaning — 'in person' contrasts with remote communication but does not emphasise the act of looking at each other

  • directly

    less specific — 'directly' can mean without an intermediary, without delay, or by the shortest route

  • one-on-one

    emphasises two participants rather than physical presence; the conversation may be in person or by video

Antonyms
  • remotely

    communication that is not in the same physical place

  • online

    interaction through a digital platform instead of in person

Grammar Patterns

meet / talk / speak / discuss + face-to-face

face-to-face + verb of communication

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs of communication such as 'meet', 'talk', 'speak', and 'discuss'. The hyphenated form is standard when used adverbially, though the unhyphenated 'face to face' also appears in less formal writing.

Common Mistakes

We should talk face-to-face-ly about the problem.
We should talk face-to-face about the problem.
'face-to-face' already functions as an adverb; adding '-ly' is incorrect.

2. in a situation where you must directly deal with something difficult, unpleasant

2.adverbB2
Definition

in a situation where you must directly deal with something difficult, unpleasant, or frightening, without being able to avoid it.

Example

After the earthquake, the community came face-to-face with the huge task of rebuilding.

came face-to-face with + difficult situation (rebuilding)

Nikhil came face-to-face with his own fear of heights while climbing the mountain.

Common collocations
  • come face-to-face with
  • stand face-to-face with
  • be brought face-to-face with
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • avoid

    to stay away from a difficulty rather than meet it directly

  • sidestep

    to cleverly avoid dealing with a problem

Grammar Patterns

come face-to-face with + [abstract noun: danger, truth, failure, reality]

stand face-to-face with + [abstract noun]

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the fixed structures 'come face-to-face with' or 'stand face-to-face with'. The object of 'with' is usually an abstract noun referring to a difficulty, danger, fear, or unpleasant truth — not a person or a physical object.

Common Mistakes

She came face-to-face with a lovely café on the corner.
She came face-to-face with a difficult choice about her career.
The expression is used for confronting challenges, not for positive encounters.

face-to-face — adjective

face-to-face — noun

Word family

  • face
    nounA1
  • face
    verbB1
  • facial
    adjectiveB2
  • face-off
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Face-to-face, in person, directly, and one-on-one all describe personal interaction, but with different emphases. 'Face-to-face' strongly implies physical presence and eye contact — two people in the same place looking at each other. 'In person' contrasts with remote or written communication but does not suggest a two-way visual encounter. 'Directly' is broader: it can mean without an intermediary, by the shortest route, or without delay. 'One-on-one' focuses on the number of participants — exactly two — but does not specify whether the meeting is physical or virtual. For example: 'We discussed it face-to-face over coffee' signals physical presence; 'She handled it directly with the supplier' means no go-between; 'He scheduled a one-on-one with his boss' could be a video call.

in person ↗directly ↗one-on-one

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • with (used across senses: 'come face-to-face with', 'meet face-to-face with', 'a face-to-face with someone')

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The expression 'face to face' comes from the idea of two people having their faces turned towards each other. It appears in very early English translations of the Bible, such as the Old English version of Corinthians where the phrase 'ansīne tō ansīne' (face to face) was used. By the Middle English period, it became the familiar 'face to face'. The hyphenated compound form 'face-to-face' emerged as it came to be used as a single adjective before nouns ('face-to-face meeting'). The figurative meaning — confronting a difficult situation directly — developed in the 17th century, extending the physical image into the abstract realm of facing one's problems or fears.