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
Sean Gregory, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Cassidy, winner of five of the last eight races going back to last season, lost in the duels quarterfinals to De Vries.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The pressure simply kept coming and Chelsea continued to look second-best in their individual duels.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Demon Slayer, the first of a series-ending film trilogy, is a master class in hyper-kinetic, violent battles and high-stakes melodrama, in which a sequence of epic duels is intercut with emotional character backstories.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
Canada has won four of the six Olympics championship duels with its southern neighbors, with the 2006 victory giving the country five overall Olympic women’s hockey golds.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Cassidy, winner of five of the last eight races going back to last season, lost in the duels quarterfinals to De Vries.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
The pressure simply kept coming and Chelsea continued to look second-best in their individual duels.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Demon Slayer, the first of a series-ending film trilogy, is a master class in hyper-kinetic, violent battles and high-stakes melodrama, in which a sequence of epic duels is intercut with emotional character backstories.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels
Noun
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As a 10-time world champion who’s entering her fifth, and final, Winter Olympics, American hockey star Hilary Knight, 35, has played a key role in energizing one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The sport was built on rivalries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your self-confidence may take a hit when the Gemini moon battles Saturn.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
More than four years later, Sanchez still battles the emotional fallout.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Iran has in the past threatened to close the Strait during previous confrontations, raising the prospect of higher oil prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, fights outside the dojo or a tournament were rare for Warren’s students.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Calpak Luka Mini Softside Carry-on feels more like a plush weekender than a spinner, and the Bagsmart Hardside Carry-on zips open clamshell-style and never fights me at TSA.—
Brandon Schultz,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Although there will be a couple of weeks of sports competitions to come, none are possible without an opening ceremony, a combination of solemn official protocol with a fantastic representation of the host country’s culture and character, evoking the Olympic spirit itself.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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All told, Rodriguez has played for nine clubs, totaling 127 goals and 161 assists in 516 appearances across all competitions.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This combats dynamic pricing based on your search history, which could lead to higher fares.—
Christopher Elliott,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The Last Gift Study, launched in 2017, combats that issue by conducting an autopsy immediately after a patient’s death.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Starmer faces mounting pressure from Labor MPs over his judgment, with his premiership now in jeopardy amid broader government struggles and poor polling.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The 2025 August slide from the Padre with the biggest contract was especially unfortunate as the Padres (16-12 in August) were unable to fully capitalize on the Dodgers’ struggles (15-13 in August) to overtake them in the NL West.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 20-point loss is Brooklyn’s third straight and 15th in its last 17 contests.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Showdown contests are a different animal compared with a Sunday main slate.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duels. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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