one-on-one
32
3.5
- adjective
- /ˈwʌn ɒn ˈwʌn/
:
uno contra uno
- During the one-on-one games, same sex and similar skill level competed against each other.
- a one-on-one game
You may own the basketball court one-on-one.
- You may own the basketball court one-on-one.
- And there was like most of the fights I've been in were basically one-on-one, maybe a little bit like a little extra stuff, but not outnumbered.
Examples
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During the basketball practice, I had a one-on-one drill with my coach to improve my skills.
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With Smith coming down, it meant that he was in a one-on-one matchup with Miller.
Blog text (6) -
So it is now a one-on-one competition.
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We'll just play one-on-one until he gets back.
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But when we return, Steven goes one-on-one with President Joe Biden.
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Teenagers were playing one-on-one, making trick shots and around-the-back moves.
Fiction book (1992) -
If we compare voters' preferences, the KMT beats every other party in a one-on-one comparison.
Academic text (1996) -
At the playground, the kids challenged each other to a one-on-one game of basketball.
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In the tournament, the final match was a one-on-one showdown between the top two players.
Synonyms
31
3.7
In direct competition with another person or team
14
6.8
In direct competition or argument with someone
7
4.9
Each defender guards one specific opponent
3
8.2
A fight between two people to settle a dispute, often on a battlefield
Antonyms
How Many Defenders
- Jargon
16
5.0
32
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
One-on-one began as a sports phrase that literally means one 'on' one — one player directly against another. That clear image of two people in direct contest is why we use it for head-to-head matchups or when one player guards one other.