(face/attack/tackle) it head on
Meaning(s)
1. deal with something in a direct and determined way
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
tackle/face/attack a problem/issue head on
Analysis
If you do something 'head on' it means you confront it directly. Usually, if you 'attack', 'confront' or 'face something head on' it involves a degree of confrontation or opposition. These are popular phrases in political and business contexts to talk about how to address a problem.
Social Examples (Advance)
- There's no point trying to sweep this issue between us under the rug, we need to attack it head on and get it sorted quickly.
- The politician said that the country cannot hope to deal with the issue of corruption without tackling it head on, which is why she is calling for a full-scale government operation.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- The reason why Robert is such a productive member of staff is because whenever a problem arises at work, he never leaves it to someone else to fix, instead, he faces it head on.
- Sometimes it is better to solve an issue in a roundabout way rather than facing it head on.
- We have to address the issue of spending head on before the situation becomes worse.