face-to-face
/ˌfeɪs tə ˈfeɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌfeɪs tə ˈfeɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfās-tə-ˈfās/ (ame, mw) · /ˌfeɪs.təˈfeɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌfeɪs.təˈfeɪs/ (ame, ipa)
face-to-face — adverb
1. with both people physically together, looking directly at one another, rather th
with both people physically together, looking directly at one another, rather than communicating from a distance by phone, video call, or text.
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…)
After months of video calls, the team finally worked face-to-face in the Taipei office.
Tamar prefers to handle complaints face-to-face so she can see people's reactions clearly.
Walid asked to talk face-to-face because the matter was too personal for a phone call.
- 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
文法句型
meet / talk / speak / discuss + face-to-face
face-to-face + verb of communication
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
2. in a situation where you must directly deal with something difficult, unpleasant
in a situation where you must directly deal with something difficult, unpleasant, or frightening, without being able to avoid it.
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.
The company now stands face-to-face with bankruptcy unless it finds new investors.
Hoa suddenly came face-to-face with the truth that her childhood home had been sold.
- confront
a verb rather than an adverb; more direct and active in tone
- in direct contact with
more formal and less common than the idiomatic phrase
文法句型
come face-to-face with + [abstract noun: danger, truth, failure, reality]
stand face-to-face with + [abstract noun]
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
face-to-face — adjective
1. describing a meeting, conversation, class, or other event where the people invol
describing a meeting, conversation, class, or other event where the people involved are together in the same physical place, rather than communicating remotely.
The school arranged face-to-face meetings between parents and each teacher before term started.
face-to-face meeting — typical collocation
Paloma gives better advice during face-to-face conversations than over the phone.
A face-to-face interview remains the best way to judge a candidate's fit for a team.
The course combines online study materials with regular face-to-face workshops.
Nikos prefers face-to-face communication because body language tells him a lot about what people mean.
文法句型
face-to-face + [noun: meeting, conversation, interview, discussion, class, workshop]
用法筆記
Always used before a noun (attributive position). The hyphens are essential when the compound modifies a noun directly. Common nouns paired with this sense include 'meeting', 'conversation', 'interview', 'discussion', 'class', 'workshop', and 'communication'.
常見錯誤
2. describing a situation in which people deal directly with a problem or with thos
describing a situation in which people deal directly with a problem or with those affected by it, without intermediaries or avoidance.
The report recommends face-to-face engagement with the communities most affected by the policy.
face-to-face engagement — typical in formal/public policy contexts
Social workers in rural areas need regular face-to-face contact with the families they support.
face-to-face contact — common in social work and care
Xiu's charity provides face-to-face support to people who are struggling with debt problems.
Face-to-face dialogue between the two groups helped reduce the tension in the neighbourhood.
Hassan believes face-to-face intervention is the only way to help teenagers who may drop out.
文法句型
face-to-face + [noun: contact, support, engagement, dialogue, intervention]
用法筆記
Always used before a noun. Unlike the adverb sense (CONFRONTING), this adjective sense modifies the noun that names the type of direct dealing — e.g. 'face-to-face support' means support that is given in person, not through letters or phone calls.
常見錯誤
face-to-face — noun
1. an occasion when two or more people meet in the same physical place to talk, typ
an occasion when two or more people meet in the same physical place to talk, typically contrasted with a phone call, email exchange, or video chat.
After weeks of confusion by email, Wren suggested a face-to-face to sort things out.
suggested a face-to-face — noun use with suggestion verb
Omar had a brief face-to-face with his manager before the presentation started.
had a face-to-face — light verb construction
Charlotte found a quick face-to-face more productive than a long chain of group emails.
The two team leaders arranged a face-to-face to discuss how to share the workload fairly.
- in-person meeting
more explicit and slightly more formal
- personal meeting
emphasises the private or direct nature of the encounter
- video call
a meeting conducted remotely through a screen
- conference call
a voice-only meeting over the telephone
文法句型
have a face-to-face
arrange a face-to-face
hold a face-to-face
schedule a face-to-face
用法筆記
More informal than the adjectival or adverbial forms. Most common in spoken English and informal business contexts. The noun form is typically countable and singular; avoid it in formal writing.