1
as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
a design that is a rival to any produced by a professional graphic artist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
the boxer's toughest rival thus far
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in competitor
one who strives for the same thing as another
the four cities that are the top rivals for the site of the next Olympic Games
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in competitive
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rival
Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Musicians can’t upload music directly to Deezer or rival platforms like Spotify or Apple Music.
—Kelvin Chan, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
Michael Liedtke, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The Royals entered the three-game series having won 10 consecutive games against their American League Central rivals.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
Elsewhere, Advanced Micro Devices unveiled its new AI server chip for 2026 at a company event Thursday, part of its attempt to rival Nvidia’s market-leading offering.
—Morgan Chittum,zev Fima, CNBC, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
Just three weeks after signing with the San Diego Wave, Adriana Leon made her debut for the club in a match against rival Angel City in Los Angeles.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Musicians can’t upload music directly to Deezer or rival platforms like Spotify or Apple Music.
—Kelvin Chan, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
Verb
After beginning the year as the most valuable company in the world, Apple now ranks third behind longtime rival Microsoft, another AI leader, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.
—Michael Liedtke, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The Royals entered the three-game series having won 10 consecutive games against their American League Central rivals.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
Adjective
The deference the new administration afforded the Kremlin appeared to be rivaled only by its hostility toward its own national-security establishment.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025
Elsewhere, Advanced Micro Devices unveiled its new AI server chip for 2026 at a company event Thursday, part of its attempt to rival Nvidia’s market-leading offering.
—Morgan Chittum,zev Fima, CNBC, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
In a 6-to-3 decision by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Court backed a request by the Trump Administration to limit the authority of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions, a powerful tool by which Trump's opponents have been able to halt many of his policies in recent months.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
27 June 2025
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Under ideal circumstances, Van would have had a full camp to fight an opponent ranked between No. 5 and No. 10 following his UFC 316 win.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
In the Club’s eyes, Amazon has a technological edge over competitors like Walmart , the world’s largest retailer, making its grocery and everyday essentials push more compelling, said Zev Fima, portfolio analyst for the Club.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
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Unlike compensation packages that competitors can readily replicate, values alignment creates a distinctive organizational signature that strongly resists imitation—genuine congruence between how leaders navigate complex decisions and how your organization operates daily.—
Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Material acquisitions of competing businesses in the U.S. A majority of U.S. Steel’s board members and its CEO will be U.S. citizens, according to the terms of the national security agreement.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
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Diogo Jota’s minutes would take a hit should Wirtz cement his place there, while Diaz would return to primarily competing for the starting left wing role with Cody Gakpo.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Her second-longest-running release, Born This Way, held on the competitive ranking for just 60 frames.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
-
Instead, under Trump, the United States is creating new gaps for China to exploit by withdrawing from international institutions and undermining U.S. competitive advantages, such as its global network of alliances and partnerships and its robust domestic research and innovation base.—
Oriana Skylar Mastro,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Liverpool have been in regular dialogue with their German counterparts this summer having signed Florian Wirtz, who officially joined the Premier League champions on Friday, and after triggering the release clause of full-back Jeremie Frimpong, whose arrival was announced last month.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
-
This means that some particles will decay in the normal world while their counterparts in the mirror would not.—
Zack Savitsky,
Wired News,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
The two longtime foes have traded direct strikes against one another since Israel launched a massive series of attacks against Iran last week, alleging that Tehran was secretly moving toward producing a nuclear weapon, a claim denied by Iranian officials.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
-
The open conflict sparked by Israel’s sudden barrage of attacks against Iran’s nuclear and military structure shows no signs of abating on the seventh day of hostilities between the two longtime foes that threatens to spiral into a wider, more dangerous regional war.—
Elena Becatoros,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Measure each contender or confirm its specs with the manufacturer, suggests Davis.—
Dina Cheney,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2025
-
The Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur will enter the 2025 NFL season as a team many expect to be a contender in the NFC. Led by Jordan Love, the offense looks to be explosive with elite young talent at the wide receiver position.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
As strangers moments prior, the men had both been nervous that each another might be contending for the same lots, and one of them scooted to a seat farther away to ease the tension.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
23 June 2025
-
Hill contends the Bills are afraid to cover him man-to-man.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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