duels 1 of 2

noun

plural of duel
as in rivalries
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

duels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of duel
as in battles

Related Words

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 duels
Noun
The European champions won 56 per cent of their duels and 68 per cent of their aerial battles, dominating France in the uglier side of the game as well as with their on-ball qualities. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 15 July 2026 As with many Latin American and African teams, Paraguay defend deep and are extremely physical in duels and aerial battles. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026 On Wednesday, Tillman won nine duels — the most of anyone who played on either side — and had five dangerous interceptions, a metric used in soccer that accounts for stopping an attack. — Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 Jude Bellingham is also making his presence known in the midfield, helping England to win the majority of the duels so far. — Nbc News, NBC news, 28 June 2026 However, Azula intercepts the group and duels Aang and Katara with Zuko, who nearly had a change of heart after opening up to Katara. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 June 2026 Yes, purists love pitching duels. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels
  1. rivalries
  2. battles
  3. confrontations
  4. fights
  5. competitions
  6. combats
  7. struggles
  8. contends
Noun
  • With these budding rivalries on the schedule on top of the six AFC East matchups, the Dolphins will have a lot to play for in 2026.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • The semifinal today resumes one of international soccer’s most bitter rivalries.
    — Mark Hodge, NBC news, 15 July 2026
Definition of rivalries
Verb
  • Both the poem and the film center around Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, who battles his way back home after the Trojan War.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Emmet Sheehan battles through 5⅓ strong innings and Shohei Ohtani belts his ninth leadoff homer, but the Dodgers are swept for the first time this season.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • The use of body cameras has largely garnered bipartisan agreement, particularly amid aggressive confrontations between federal agents and members of the public over the past year.
    — Holmes Lybrand, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Given that assaults with a firearm are more likely to lead to the death of the victim than assaults using other weapons, confrontations became deadlier.
    — James Tuttle, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
Definition of confrontations
Verb
  • Along the way, our hero encounters the sorceress Circe, who turns his companions into pigs; makes a descent into Hades; fights the song of the sirens; and survives the island of the nymph Calypso.
    — Valentina Colosimo, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
  • Rising through the ranks as a gladiator, Maximus fights his way back to Rome to seek vengeance and restore honor to the Empire.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • Bouanga has scored 11 goals in 10 career matches against the Galaxy across all competitions and has scored in the last seven meetings, the longest such streak in the rivalry’s history.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • Since joining from Hull City for £20million in January 2020, the attacker has made 280 appearances across all competitions, scoring 85 goals and registering 63 assists.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of competitions
Verb
  • Whereas Kiana Murden, Vogue’s beauty shopping editor, says the perfect SPF is one that’s both lightweight and combats oily, prone skin.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 17 July 2026
  • The presence of local brick-and-mortar romance bookstores not only combats the stigma but also fosters connection among readers searching for community beyond their screens.
    — Katelyn Frey, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
Definition of combats
Noun
  • His struggles aren’t solved; he’s just found a new means of battling them.
    — Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026
  • Early this season, the Braves were flying high, holding the best record in baseball and making many fans forget about last season’s struggles.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • Paramount contends that the transaction would bolster competition in streaming, as the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros would stand a better chance against stronger rivals like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon’s Prime Video.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 July 2026
  • Georgia Bedell contends that the Planning and Zoning Commission last winter didn’t do a meaningful review of the effect on air quality, water contamination nor the integrity of the nearby aquifer.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Definition of contends

Browse Nearby Words

dueling
duels
duende
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Cite this Entry

“Duels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duels. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on duels

Nglish: Translation of duels for Spanish Speakers

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