face to face
3 synonyms and 4 antonyms for face to face, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Taking place in person, with the people involved physically present rather than connecting by phone, video or message.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
in-person
in the flesh
Antonyms
How to use face to face
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
face-to-face meeting
face-to-face contact
come face to face with
face-to-face teaching
Neutral; became far more frequent in everyday use after widespread remote working.
Frequently asked questions
When do you hyphenate face-to-face?
Hyphenate it when it modifies a noun — a face-to-face interview, face-to-face contact. Leave the hyphens out when it works as an adverb after the verb — we met face to face.
What is the difference between face-to-face and in-person?
They mean the same thing in most contexts, and both contrast with remote. 'In-person' is the more common wording in American English and in event listings; 'face-to-face' carries a slight extra sense of direct, two-way contact between individuals.
