plural duels
1
: a fight between two people that includes the use of weapons (such as guns or swords) and that usually happens while other people watch
Note: Duels were used in the past to settle arguments or protect someone's honor.
2
: a situation in which two people or groups argue or compete with each other
They engaged in a duel of wits.
The baseball game turned into a duel between the teams' pitchers. = The game turned into a pitching duel.
duels; US dueled or British duelled; US dueling or British duelling
: to fight a duel: such as
a
: to fight with someone using weapons (such as guns or swords) while other people watch
He accepted the challenge to duel.
b
: to compete or argue with someone
Legislators dueled over the tax increases.
The two runners dueled for the lead.
Cite this Entry
“Duel.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/duel. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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