grudge match
noun
: a contest or fight between players, teams, etc., who dislike each other
The race had turned into a grudge match between the two teams.
Examples of grudge match in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With notions of a settlement once floated, and debtor loan plans of around $10 million in the mix to make sure lawyers are paid, the lawsuits seemed to have turned into a very un-Christian grudge match.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
Lerner Dreamer and Coogan’s Bluff themselves had a bit of a grudge match.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Fortunately for the Eagles, their defense fared just fine without him, but the Eagles likely don't want to tempt fate again heading into a grudge match against Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and company.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Other highlights next weekend include Everton’s first competitive game at their new home, against Brighton, a grudge match (see above) between Palace and Forest at Selhurst Park and, on Monday night, Liverpool’s trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United and the wrath of a home crowd.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Tiffany Stratton got her biggest career win at WrestleMania 41 over Charlotte Flair, in a heated grudge match, and SummerSlam feels like the end of the road.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
And so the stage would appear to be set for a fun — and emotionally fraught — grudge match of a sequel about two several-thousand-year-olds who fight over the best way to spend the rest of their suddenly finite time together.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
The pair must pause their grudge match and reluctantly join forces to defeat a Predator.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 6 June 2025
The discovery sets up a grudge match with Ahearn and his partner, who are assigned to investigate the death, sidelining Stilwell to a minor role in the process.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
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Dominic Patten, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
Lerner Dreamer and Coogan’s Bluff themselves had a bit of a grudge match.
—D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Fortunately for the Eagles, their defense fared just fine without him, but the Eagles likely don't want to tempt fate again heading into a grudge match against Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and company.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Other highlights next weekend include Everton’s first competitive game at their new home, against Brighton, a grudge match (see above) between Palace and Forest at Selhurst Park and, on Monday night, Liverpool’s trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United and the wrath of a home crowd.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Tiffany Stratton got her biggest career win at WrestleMania 41 over Charlotte Flair, in a heated grudge match, and SummerSlam feels like the end of the road.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025
And so the stage would appear to be set for a fun — and emotionally fraught — grudge match of a sequel about two several-thousand-year-olds who fight over the best way to spend the rest of their suddenly finite time together.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 July 2025
The pair must pause their grudge match and reluctantly join forces to defeat a Predator.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 6 June 2025
The discovery sets up a grudge match with Ahearn and his partner, who are assigned to investigate the death, sidelining Stilwell to a minor role in the process.
—Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grudge match.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grudge%20match. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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