duel

1 of 2

noun

du·​el ˈdü-əl How to pronounce duel (audio)
 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

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 Caine earned his freedom in the duel with Wick, a post-credits scene sees Shimazu Akira, daughter of Shimazu Koji — played by Shōgun’s Hiroyuki Sanada — pull out a knife while walking toward Caine. Skyler Trepel, Peoplemag, 17 Aug. 2024 Kershaw won a nine-pitch duel with Sosa, striking out the second baseman with an 83-mph split-changeup. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2024
Verb
The two candidates are set to deliver dueling speeches this week detailing their contrasting economic agendas. Matt Egan, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024 Harris will give her dueling speech on the economy, the top issue on voters’ minds, Wednesday in Pennsylvania, a day after Trump’s speech. Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for duel 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'duel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of duel was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near duel

Cite this Entry

“Duel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duel. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

duel

1 of 2 noun
du·​el ˈd(y)ü-əl How to pronounce duel (audio)
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
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on duel

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