as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the playful competition over who would get the new office turned into a real dogfight
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Recent Examples of dogfight
The trouble is if that series goes sideways, the Mariners could still find themselves in a dogfight with the Rangers and Guardians for the last playoff spot.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Following that incident, analysts wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Turkish-Israeli mock dogfights, not unlike the recurring Turkish-Greek ones over the Aegean Sea, occurring over Syria, especially if Israel and Turkey’s opposing policies in that country diverge even further.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
In a low, twisting, turning dogfight, the P-40 would lose.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
What used to be a season of racking up Top 10s and Top Fives is now a weekly dogfight for every position.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dogfight
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Following that incident, analysts wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Turkish-Israeli mock dogfights, not unlike the recurring Turkish-Greek ones over the Aegean Sea, occurring over Syria, especially if Israel and Turkey’s opposing policies in that country diverge even further.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
In a low, twisting, turning dogfight, the P-40 would lose.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
What used to be a season of racking up Top 10s and Top Fives is now a weekly dogfight for every position.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dogfight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dogfight
Noun
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Elizabeth’s determination not to settle the succession gave rise to fierce rivalry between the claimants to the English throne, among them Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI; James’s cousin Arbella Stuart; Lady Katherine Grey and her descendants; and Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Spurs were inept and disjointed on Saturday, losing 1-0 against Chelsea in a rivalry the club don’t tolerate losing easily.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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History buffs should head to Saratoga National Historic Park, which was the site of two pivotal Revolutionary War battles.—
Cat Sposato,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
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What began as a grassroots open-records request has now branched into a multifront legal battle.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The return from injury of Gravenberch, who won six of his eight duels, was another welcome sight, along with Alexis Mac Allister completing 90 minutes for Liverpool for the first time since April.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Much like the classic Tom Brady-Peyton Manning duels of old, the quarterback matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — the two current MVP frontrunners — is can’t-miss television.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Starbucks has also come under intense competition from the surging popularity of tea drinks chains like Mixue Bingcheng, ChaGee and HeyTea.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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Several banks lowered their price targets following the earnings report, pointing to increasing competition from larger social platforms like Instagram and TikTok and concerns over macro headwinds.—
Jaures Yip,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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The historic build-up stands in stark contrast to the United States’ own supply struggles.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Data, competition, and the future of drone warfare The competition among units is fierce but cooperative when combat intensifies.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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On screen, Lawrence and Pattinson hurl nonstop insults at each other in loud bursts of verbal warfare, a striking contrast to the duo’s quieter working relationship.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Rogers noted that the book argues that a central cause of the war was Anglo settlers’ determination to keep slaves in bondage after Mexico largely abolished it.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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In the five years just before war set in, these were among the dwellings that had beguiled Heinz Gaube (1940–2022), a German academic at the Oriental Seminar of the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, the saga unearths new layers in the second season as Natalia shares her harrowing experiences with her adoptive parents and has a face-to-face confrontation with Michael.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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No one was injured during the confrontation, police said.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dogfight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dogfight. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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