as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a duel for the title of captain of the team
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of duel
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
The dueling coaster hits speeds up to 62 miles per hour and features 5,000 feet of track.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
After Fairview won 35-30 in a duel last fall, the two programs from the northwest quadrant of the metro delivered another intriguing bout in 2025.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duel
Noun
Stardust Racers, one of the largest roller coasters at the Universal Orlando Resort, includes two side-by-side dueling tracks that race along a course that includes two launches (with one of the launches sending trains to speeds of 62 miles per hour), as well a 133-foot-tall maximum height.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 2025
The dueling coaster hits speeds up to 62 miles per hour and features 5,000 feet of track.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Pachycephalosaurs are often depicted using their domed heads to engage in headbutting duels.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2025
After Fairview won 35-30 in a duel last fall, the two programs from the northwest quadrant of the metro delivered another intriguing bout in 2025.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duel
Noun
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But international rivalry between the United States and Canada, rekindled last season with two memorable games in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, will also take center stage in February when the NHL will break for players’ participation in the Winter Olympics for the first time in over a decade.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Set in 1980s England, the series follows the rivalry of two men who come to a head.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While the topical application of minoxidil is one of the most effective and popular ways to combat male pattern baldness, it is poorly absorbed by the skin.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Oct. 2025
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Leaders across the industry are fighting to combat a global luxury slowdown and searching for new ways to maintain relevancy, reinvigorate their relationships with shoppers, while improving their bottom line.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The battle of the rotations Pretty much every night, their starting pitcher was better than your starting pitcher.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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That includes research presentations on hip-hop, identity and activism, interactive workshops in education and creative practice, and a freestyle dance battle.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Meet Nashville's new crime-fighting Clydesdale Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
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The event, launched in 1982, celebrates the freedom to read and express ideas and emphasizes the importance of fighting censorship.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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If anything, the two games at Dodger Stadium showed the struggles of the Reds’ offense, with Blake Snell allowing only two base runners in the first six innings of his Game 1 start, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up two runs in the first inning of Game 2 before retiring 13 straight.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Mendes would later detail his struggles with maintaining his mental health while touring and cancel his Wonder world tour in 2022.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Through that lens, seeing Sarr become a solid every-night starter on a contending team should be considered a win for Washington.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But there are better offenses waiting on the schedule, and the defense must be able to consistently get off the field if TCU wants to contend for a conference title.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Historically, Goldman says bubbles tend to be driven by a specific innovation, investors pile-in, there’s a rush of capital and competition from new companies, which in turn pushes up prices and valuations, increasing systemic risks.—
Tasmin Lockwood,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
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With fewer insurers willing to provide insurance in Florida than in New Hampshire, there is less competition, which leads to higher premiums.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But with American naval forces gathering off Venezuela's coast, fears are intensifying over what this growing show of force could mean for the prisoners — trapped between fragile diplomacy and the prospect of armed confrontation.—
Manuel Rueda,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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Satellite imagery, Pentagon releases, and ship tracking reports reveal stealth jets, Marines, and naval vessels poised across Puerto Rico and the eastern Caribbean, raising the specter of escalating tensions that some say could be the opening moves of a broader confrontation.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Duel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duel. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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