nose to nose
Snouts nearly touching
Nose to nose describes two people or animals facing each other at extremely close range, nearly touching: The two boxers stood nose to nose at the weigh-in.
The phrase emphasizes confrontation or intense proximity—whether hostile, competitive, or intimate.
It can also describe things positioned front-to-front: The cars sat nose to nose in the narrow alley.
- face to faceIn someone's presence
- eye to eyeOf matching opinions
- head to headDirectly opposing each other
- staring contestUnblinking visual standoff
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
face off · standoff · standing ground · close · up close · intimate · touching · forehead · breath · whisper · tension · stare · locked · personal space · breathing room · rivals · lovers · animals
- close rangepoint-blank, close quarters, short-range, striking distance, within reach
- closenessclose by, close contact, close-knit, next door, up close
- crowdedcrowded, jam-packed, packed like sardines, crammed, jammed
- proximitynear, close, nearby, nearness, proximity
physical proximity
nose to noseat arm's length
miles apart · worlds apart · poles apart · distant · separated
confrontational intensity
nose to noseat arm's length
standoffish · disengaged · detached · aloof · avoidant