duel

1 of 2

noun

du·​el ˈdü-əl 

 also  ˈdyü-

1

: a combat between two persons

specifically : a formal combat with weapons fought between two persons in the presence of witnesses

2

: a conflict between antagonistic persons, ideas, or forces

also : a hard-fought contest between two opponents

duel

2 of 2

verb

dueled or duelled; dueling or duelling

intransitive verb

: to fight a duel

transitive verb

: to encounter (an opponent) in a duel

dueler noun

or dueller

duelist noun

or duellist

ˈd(y)ü-ə-list 

Synonyms

Noun

• rivalry
• battle
• struggle
• competition
• confrontation
• warfare
• war
• conflict
• contention

Examples of duel in a Sentence

Noun

They engaged in a duel of wits.

a duel for the title of captain of the team

Verb

He accepted the challenge to duel.

Legislators dueled over the tax increases.

The two runners dueled for the lead.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While event data usually collects tackles and duels, that’s just players being aggressive, but the art of defending is around positioning and anticipating play — not interventions. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 July 2025

But the Twins didn’t get the call, dropping a game that had been a pitchers’ duel between starters Chris Paddack and Tyler Glasnow, who each allowed a solo home run — Paddack to Ohtani and Glasnow to Royce Lewis — but nothing else in their efforts. —Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 24 July 2025

Verb

In 2023, when BYD began dueling with Tesla for the top spot in EV sales, the U.S. auto industry started paying attention. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025

Lance certainly fits into that category, dueling with veteran Taylor Heinicke to win the backup’s job behind Herbert. —Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 29 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Medieval Latin duellum, from Old Latin, war

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for duel

• cruel
• dual
• fuel
• gruel
• jewel
• newel
• accrual
• nonfuel
• refuel
• renewal
• biofuel
• contextual

Kids Definition

duel

1 of 2 noun

du·​el ˈd(y)ü-əl 

1

: a combat between two persons

especially : one fought with weapons in the presence of witnesses

2

: a conflict between two opponents

duel

2 of 2 verb

dueled or duelled; dueling or duelling

: to fight in a duel

dueler noun

or dueller

duelist noun

or duellist

ˈd(y)ü-ə-ləst 

Etymology

Noun

from Latin duellum "duel," from an archaic form of earlier bellum "war"; revived in the Middle Ages to mean combat between two persons because the du- suggested Latin duo "two"