DUEL Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

duel 1 of 2

noun

ˈdü-əl

Definition of duel

as in rivalry

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another a duel for the title of captain of the team

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

duel

2 of 2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of duel

Noun

Girls golf Yuhan Wang, Harper Zhai and Chloe Chen all shot 2-under-par 34 for The First Academy at Links of Lake Mary to give the Royals a stellar 137-145 win against Lake Mary Prep in a duel of unbeaten teams. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 Pries’s suggestion, known as the inverse Galois problem, was inspired by the work of the 19th-century French mathematician Évariste Galois, who perished after he was wounded in a gun duel at age 20. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Verb

The final day of Georgia’s marquee Republican runoffs ended Monday with dueling endorsements and a barrage of campaign stops stretching from the coast to the Tennessee line. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 16 June 2026 Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway through which the region’s insecurity quickly becomes a global economic problem, remained hostage to dueling coercive measures. — Ali Vaez, Time, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for duel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for duel

Noun

And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Better still, they could’ve been forced to navigate a professional rivalry if, say, Roy is expected to support Chelsea’s women’s club.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rivalry

Verb

Uribe was based at the Mather National Guard facility near Rancho Cordova and served as a member of the state Counterdrug Task Force, a unit that assists local, tribal and federal law enforcement entities in combating drug traffickers.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Perhaps her biggest challenge is combating the misconception that cystic fibrosis has been cured, which stifles investment into new treatments.

— Gerry Smith, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of combat

Noun

In yet another battle between the states and social media platforms, Florida asked a state judge to order changes on Instagram and Facebook in an effort to protect young users.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
At the same time, Hollister was also engaged in a lengthy courtroom battle with Perry and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles over the rights to another property, a Los Feliz convent the singer hoped to turn into a private home.

— Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of battle

Verb

Her body was found while clearing rubble and fighting a fire at the site, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said Friday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Eventually, Ley hopes, the results could help fight this side effect of vaccines and, by extension, encourage higher vaccination rates.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of fight

Noun

Together, the songs take longtime Prine fans and new followers more deeply into his vivid approach to songwriting, which gave voice to the lives, emotions, struggles and celebrations of everyday people.

— Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026
The heat is sweltering, mosquitoes buzz around the apartment and routine tasks are a constant struggle.

— Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggle

Verb

Through the season’s first two weeks, any thoughts of the Falcons contending for a playoff spot appeared delusional and all conversations appeared moot.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Mancuso filed a $45 million breach-of-contract suit, contending that he’d been fired, and later settled for as much as $20 million.

— Richard Natale, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of contend

Noun

There’s a lot more competition now, especially with the celebrity beauty brands and the indie or niche brands that are blowing up on TikTok, which is a super popular platform for discovering new beauty products.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
The report singles out Japan, women’s competitions and homegrown stars as the areas most likely to draw competing bids.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of competition

Verb

Why attendance is the number to watch Even in a traditional school year, districts across Texas have been wrestling with chronic absenteeism since COVID-19.

— Lina Ruiz October 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
As Grammy season comes into full swing, one of the biggest questions the Recording Academy will need to wrestle with is how to handle the current surge in popularity for country music.

— Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrestle

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due

duel

dueled

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“Duel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duel. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of duel

noun

verb

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