toe to toe
Facing off closely
Toe to toe describes direct, close-range confrontation—physical or figurative.
Two boxers standing toe to toe trade punches at close quarters.
The phrase extends to any intense face-off: The candidates went toe to toe in the debate.
To go toe to toe with someone is to match them in sustained competition or conflict without backing down.
- mano a manoDirect personal competition
- nose to noseIn direct close confrontation
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- encounterUnexpected meeting or confrontation
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
battle · slugging it out · trading punches · contest · duel · standoff · clash · rivalry · determination · grit · wrestling · no holds barred · tenacity · stand your ground · endurance · face-off · resolve · parity
toe to toeat arm's length
from afar · remotely · indirectly · behind the scenes · long-range
toe to toeone-sided
Unfairly weighted toward one
hit and run · guerrilla · asymmetric · lopsided · ambush
toe to toeevasively
Avoiding direct response
indirectly · avoidant · hit and run · passive-aggressively · behind one's back