as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
That is when the United States duels Australia on Friday in a World Cup match hyped by a budding rivalry, next-phase magnitude, and home-field aura.
—
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Dundee United are the fierce city sparring partners of Dundee, a rivalry where the two stadiums, Tannadice Park and Dens Park, are separated by 200 yards on the same street.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 4 June 2026
The thriller about ambition, rivalry and human frailty, set in the ballet world, evoked visceral reactions — from adrenaline highs to pull-pinions-from-your-flesh shudders.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 June 2026
History of the race The contest drew significant attention across western Placer County, where a former political alliance evolved into a high-profile political rivalry.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Dundee United are the fierce city sparring partners of Dundee, a rivalry where the two stadiums, Tannadice Park and Dens Park, are separated by 200 yards on the same street.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 4 June 2026
The thriller about ambition, rivalry and human frailty, set in the ballet world, evoked visceral reactions — from adrenaline highs to pull-pinions-from-your-flesh shudders.
—Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 June 2026
History of the race The contest drew significant attention across western Placer County, where a former political alliance evolved into a high-profile political rivalry.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
-
Measles has spread as a result of travel to international sports competitions before.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Their visit coincides with an event marking one year to the start of the Invictus Games, the biennial sporting competition Harry founded more than a decade ago.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
After several years as an orphan, Pumphrey died in a South Caroline pine forest on August 16, 1780, in what was one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
Aegon was severely injured by Aemond and Vhagar in that battle.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The African team possessed the ball 52% of the time, had 563 accurate passes (92%) to Argentina’s 504 (90%) and held a 43-39 advantage in duels won.—
Darren Sabedra,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
-
What gets all the attention is the duel between me and a few of them.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Thomas, 25, has seen limited playing time this season due to some offensive struggles.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
-
Carvalho’s struggles included a three-day strike in March 2023.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
His father, Manuel Cepeda, was a prominent figure in the Colombian Communist Party, and was assassinated in 1994 during a particularly bloody era in Colombia's internal conflict.—
David Unsworth,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
-
The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
And this is all due to how AI is rapidly changing warfare.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
The history of warfare is often measured in winners, losers, troop sizes, dollars and human casualties; but collateral damage across the animal kingdom far outlasts the final shot.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
But our three-way confrontation was still far from over.—
Bob Brody,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2026
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Muldur was in the middle of the confrontation in stoppage time in the first half that led to Galarza's ejection.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
Noun
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This year, 1,573 submissions are in contention across the 17 performer categories, down from 1,706 in 2025, a decline of nearly 8%.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 June 2026
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Beyond Lebanon, there’s one more point of possible contention on Iran’s nuclear program.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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