as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
Netflix is rounding out casting for Kennedy, its upcoming drama series that explores the lives, loves, rivalries and tragedies of the Kennedy family.
—
Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
America’s rivalry with Cuba was once a bitter battle of ideas.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The French dip haven (which maintains a friendly rivalry with Philippe the Original downtown over who invented the sandwich) has seen late reprieves before.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Tonight, Nebraska and Iowa take their football rivalry to the hardwood.
—The Sports Desk, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
America’s rivalry with Cuba was once a bitter battle of ideas.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The French dip haven (which maintains a friendly rivalry with Philippe the Original downtown over who invented the sandwich) has seen late reprieves before.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Tonight, Nebraska and Iowa take their football rivalry to the hardwood.
—The Sports Desk, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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For the seventh year in a row, Walmart captured more money from Charlotte-area shoppers than any other grocery store, despite intense competition from local grocers like Harris Teeter and Food Lion.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
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The timing matters as robotics competition heats up This legislation comes at a moment when China is rapidly advancing in robotics.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Three months into faith leaders’ legal battle, they were allowed back inside the facility in February for Ash Wednesday after a court order granted limited access.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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In the midst of a restitution battle, records show that Kilpatrick is at risk of losing a home in Novi over more than $50,000 in unpaid property taxes.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Paolo Banchero prevailed in a duel with DeMar DeRozan, putting up 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to lead the Magic to a 121-117 victory over the Kings at Kia Center in Orlando.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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The opposing sides spent roughly the first two years of the war engaged in a lopsided artillery duel along the front, which stretched for more than 600 miles.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Just two weeks ago, Gary Woodland decided ot shared his struggles with post traumatic stress disorder, brought on after a September 2023 surgery, which involved a baseball-sized hole cut from the side of his head, to remove a brain lesion.—
Andrew McCarty,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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And the struggles up front affected what was already troublesome quarterback play after Conner Harrell’s knee injury in Week 4.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Earlier Monday, Turkey's defense ministry announced that the alliance's air defenses deployed in the eastern Mediterranean had, for a fourth time during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, intercepted an Iranian missile that had entered its airspace.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Neither has served in an active military capacity during the current conflict.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Seizing the island would deal a major blow to Tehran's economy, undercutting one of its most critical revenue streams and decapitating its key means of waging economic warfare.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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That means waging cognitive warfare on a scale no one else has tried before.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The confrontation was set off in July of 1956, when Egypt’s ruler, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, a charismatic populist, nationalized the Anglo-French company that had operated the canal since its creation in 1869, during the colonial era.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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The tense and often violent confrontations outside the Broadview facility included questionable tactics by the federal officers with their use of tear gas and less-lethal munitions on demonstrators.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Sure, a lot of other stuff has to go right for the Royals to return to contention, including keeping their pitching staff healthy and progress by Caglianone and fellow promising rookie Carter Jensen.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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But what lingered most after the meeting concluded was not the council’s split vote contention.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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