Standard Lemma guide

one-on-one

adj · adv · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: W AH1 N AH0 N AA1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Involving direct communication or competition between two people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, Canada, US, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Involving one attacker and one defender.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

bijective or injective

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

In a one-on-one manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • He was willing to go one-on-one with the District Attorney himself.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A contest involving only one player on each side, especially of an activity often involving teams.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Why don't we play a little one-on-one until the others show up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

being a system of play in which an individual defensive player guards an individual offensive player

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • one-on-one defense

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: man-to-man

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

directly between two individuals

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • one-on-one instruction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adverb

Meaning 8

(of two persons) in direct encounter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • preferred to settle the matter one-on-one
  • interviewed her person-to-person

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: person-to-person

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: jeden na jednoho — involving one attacker and one defender
  • Polish: jeden na jednego — involving one attacker and one defender
Real reading context

one-on-one in complete knowledge articles