one-on-one

adjective or adverb

ˌwən-ȯn-ˈwən How to pronounce one-on-one (audio)
ˌwən-än-
1
: playing directly against a single opposing player
2
: involving a direct encounter between one person and another

Examples of one-on-one in a Sentence

bragged that no one could go one-on-one with her in a game of darts and win
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This will be the first one-on-one match between the stars in several years and is a key stop on John Cena's ongoing retirement tour, which is set to conclude in December. Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Whoever is there, is working with John one-on-one. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2025 Engagement among Double Date users (prior to the Modes launch) were sending nearly 25% more messages per match than one-on-one chats, and nearly 15% of users who accepted a Double Date invite were either new to Tinder or recently reactivated their account. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025 But this isn’t a simple one-on-one duel. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for one-on-one

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-on-one was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“One-on-one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-on-one. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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