as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a duel for the title of captain of the team
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Recent Examples of duels
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026
LaBonta completed 23 of 29 passes from the middle of the park, put in four tackles, made two interceptions and two ball recoveries, and won five of her eight duels with players, all while avoiding committing a single foul.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
Players have different areas of trivia expertise and challenge each other in head-to-head in duels.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
Noun
The 21-year-old is combative in duels and boasts plenty of athleticism to cover ground, which could prove crucial in Portugal’s high-risk system.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026
LaBonta completed 23 of 29 passes from the middle of the park, put in four tackles, made two interceptions and two ball recoveries, and won five of her eight duels with players, all while avoiding committing a single foul.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
Players have different areas of trivia expertise and challenge each other in head-to-head in duels.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels
Noun
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Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
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By 1735, rowdy games of foot-ball were already associated with political rivalries in Boston.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Both wholesome kids get caught in the crossfire when He-Man battles Skeletor’s army of Darth Vader lookalikes in — where else?—
Jeffrey Ressner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
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She is left to care for her partner’s elderly mom who battles Parkinson’s and dementia.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The most dramatic confrontations took place this past winter in Minneapolis, but in the months since the federal government ended its occupation of that city, resistance has continued.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
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The two sides have taken to sharing videos and photos of their confrontations at sea, which have at times turned violent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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For the game’s first teaser trailer and look into the gameplay during today’s Nintendo Direct, Sora fights a Darkside Heartless in Quadratum, a land introduced in KH3 that’s inspired by Shibuya, Tokyo.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
9 June 2026
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Tom's Watch Bar in Navy Yard and Public Bar Live in Dupont Circle are often regarded as two of the most popular places to watch UFC fights in the city.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Incredibly, Gasperini’s team has won four and lost six by that scoreline across all competitions this season, a reflection of its respective strengths at either end of the pitch.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
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As with Chu and Ouellette, the two played against each other several times atthe Olympics and other international competitions.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Ant International claims the platform combats hallucinations and other data risks by using over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons.—
Lionel Lim,
Fortune,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Fox combats his symptoms, such as paralysis of his facial muscles, through medication and trains to preserve his ambulatory skills.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Ten years after the shooting, survivors who spoke to CNN detailed their complicated – and still unfolding – recoveries, as well as their struggles with the guilt of living through the attack that took the lives of lovers, relatives and close friends.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
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But behind those struggles lies a system under strain, where staffing shortages, thin provider margins, low worker pay and rapid regional growth have created pressure at nearly every level.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Ideas expressed in the piece The article argues that the glee over Tom Steyer’s loss in the California governor’s race reflects a broader, understandable anger at extreme wealth in an era of serf‑lord–level inequality, but contends that this anger is being misdirected at the wrong billionaire.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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The suit contends the race ended when Grossman’s vehicle struck brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8, in a crosswalk at about 80 mph in a 45 mph zone.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duels. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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