pit against
Make them compete
To pit against is to set in opposition or competition: The tournament pits last year's champion against an unknown newcomer.
The image is of a fighting pit where combatants face each other.
The phrase often appears in passive form: The two candidates were pitted against each other in a series of debates.
- opposeAct against something
- contendStruggle in opposition
- competeStrive for superiority
- rivalOne who competes against
- confrontFace squarely, address directly
set on · fight · lock horns · divide · face-off · duke it out · opposition · counterplay · challenge · play off · battle · clash · matchup · duel · put to the test · pairing · beat the pants off · antagonism