mano a mano
adverb or adjective
ma·no a ma·no ˌmä-nō-ä-ˈmä-nō 
: in direct competition or conflict especially between two people
Synonyms
- eyeball-to-eyeball
- face-to-face
- head-on
- head-to-head
- one-on-one
- toe-to-toe
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans go mano a mano in the Russo brothers’ globetrotting 2022 espionage thriller. 
Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans go mano a mano as two improbably pretty assassins with no mercy (or relaxed-fit chinos) to spare. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 14 July 2022 The two go mano a mano for the most part, offering a range of subs for different missions, numbers of passengers and seat layouts. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2022 Like the infamous mano a mano matchup between the American Johnny Hayes, the winner of the marathon event in the 1908 Olympics in London, and his rival, Dorando Pietri of Italy. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 27 Jan. 2022 The two future pros will lock horns many times Saturday night (7:30 p.m., ESPN) and with Washington State’s Run and Shoot offense and Oregon’s willingness to line Thibodeaux up as a wide 9 defender, there will be ample mano a mano clashes. oregonlive, 13 Nov. 2021 Hannibal recasts Foster with Julianne Moore and then mostly marginalizes her in favor of an absolutely disgusting mano a mano between Hannibal Lecter and a previous victim (Gary Oldman) hellbent on revenge. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2021 The two will go mano a mano the day after Thanksgiving in the fifth playing of The Match, a 12-hole faceoff at The Wynn Golf Club on the Las Vegas Strip. Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2021 But rarely does the Venn diagram overlap, mano a mano, shoulder to shoulder, apples to apples, stopwatch to stopwatch. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2021 See More
Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans go mano a mano as two improbably pretty assassins with no mercy (or relaxed-fit chinos) to spare. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 14 July 2022 The two go mano a mano for the most part, offering a range of subs for different missions, numbers of passengers and seat layouts. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2022 Like the infamous mano a mano matchup between the American Johnny Hayes, the winner of the marathon event in the 1908 Olympics in London, and his rival, Dorando Pietri of Italy. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 27 Jan. 2022 The two future pros will lock horns many times Saturday night (7:30 p.m., ESPN) and with Washington State’s Run and Shoot offense and Oregon’s willingness to line Thibodeaux up as a wide 9 defender, there will be ample mano a mano clashes. oregonlive, 13 Nov. 2021 Hannibal recasts Foster with Julianne Moore and then mostly marginalizes her in favor of an absolutely disgusting mano a mano between Hannibal Lecter and a previous victim (Gary Oldman) hellbent on revenge. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2021 The two will go mano a mano the day after Thanksgiving in the fifth playing of The Match, a 12-hole faceoff at The Wynn Golf Club on the Las Vegas Strip. Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2021 But rarely does the Venn diagram overlap, mano a mano, shoulder to shoulder, apples to apples, stopwatch to stopwatch. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Spanish, literally, hand to hand
First Known Use
1950, in the meaning defined above
mano a mano
adverb
as in head-to-head
in direct confrontation or competition the two brothers decided to go mano a mano in one final match to determine who was the better tennis player Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- head-to-head
- one-on-one
- eyeball-to-eyeball
- toe-to-toe
- face-to-face
- head-on