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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
In defence, his lack of physicality is becoming more glaring in a Premier League that is leaning more heavily than ever into duels, second balls and set pieces. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 The noodles, the cheese, the topping, the consistency—duels have been fought over less. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026 Patrick Smith / Getty Images The Shelton-Alcaraz epic now stands as the latest finish in the history of the New York tournament, which is increasingly known for its overnight duels. — Max Burman, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026 Cherry went 74 minutes in Sunday’s loss to Racing Louisville, recording four defensive clearances and winning three of her four aerial duels as Angel City lost for the first time in four games. — Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels
  1. rivalries
  2. battles
  3. confrontations
  4. fights
  5. competitions
  6. combats
  7. struggles
  8. contends
Noun
  • Without the big-picture implications, regional rivalries are more personal and emit a different type of energy — both positive and negative.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Border War, as it was known until 2004, dates back to 1891 and features the kind of hatred and bad blood that makes college football rivalries hit differently than any other sport.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Verb
  • Harald’s death comes as Charles battles an undisclosed type of cancer.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Pitt stars as a former Special Forces officer who battles the elements with his combat dog, named Odin.
    — Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • There are examples of ticket holders being ejected from games for confrontations with players.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Videos of the confrontations got hundreds of thousands of views on social media, a burst of attention for a conservative youth organization that is charting its next chapter after last year’s fatal shooting of its leader Charlie Kirk.
    — Hannah Fingerhut, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of confrontations
Verb
  • The comments come as the administration faces several overlapping court fights over its election policies.
    — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Unfortunately, in the real world, bad behavior erupts at high school games — fights and even worse.
    — Jerald McNair, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fights
Noun
  • Khan spent time with UCLA’s own dance team and traveled to North Carolina to observe competitions in preparation.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Sure, there will be stein-hoisting and brat-tossing competitions.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of competitions
Verb
  • The Chinese government firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Fed typically combats inflation by raising its benchmark interest rate to slow borrowing and spending and cool the economy.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of combats
Noun
  • Their lives intersect during the making of a documentary, drawing out desires and struggles each had kept hidden.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Sitting around the fire pit, toes in the sand, the students share stories with me about the cuisine; traditional string instrument sasando, made of bamboo; and their struggles with learning to swim.
    — Michelle Jana Chan, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggles
Verb
  • The lawsuit contends Hoskins' office illegally intervened in an April municipal election.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Kanter, who also played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz, contends his ticket arrangement wasn’t unusual or worrisome.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 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 20 Sep. 2026.

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