1
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a chess match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in marriages
a union representing a special kind of social and legal partnership between two people
from all appearances those two have got a good match there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in halves
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities
I can't find the match to this sock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in equivalents
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
for a wife he wants a woman who will be his match in every aspect of their lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in pictures
something or someone that strongly resembles another
Erin is so nearly my exact match you'd think she must be my twin and not just my cousin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the discussion soon degenerated into a pointless shouting match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complements
to be the exact counterpart of
does this handbag's shade of blue match my navy blue pants? the rare blood type that exactly matched that of the transplant recipient
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in meets
to produce something equal to (as in quality or value)
no one has ever been able to match that novel for its portrayal of the horrors of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of matches
Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
The apex of international soccer will be on display this summer in Atlanta, but not everyone can get tickets to see the World Cup matches in the flesh.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 11 May 2026
In other National Women's Soccer League matches, host Kansas City beat the Chicago Stars 3-0, and Bay FC played to a scoreless draw with the Utah Royals.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
The matches were held at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is an indoor golf center that holds The Golf League events.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Boston is 1-5-2 with 5 points and is unbeaten in its last three matches after losing its first five matches.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Five of the matches at Boston Stadium will be group play competition.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 11 May 2026
Brentford has kept their opponents close, though — four of the five Premier League matches since the Burnley win have ended in a draw.
—John Riker, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The company has also extended its rights deal for Mexican National Team matches through 2034.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 12 May 2026
Siebert has refereed nine Champions League matches this season, with his most recent PSG fixture the league phase 0-0 draw against Athletic Club in December.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Soderbergh rarely missteps, and this is one of his most underrated films — a perfectly paced angry shout of a movie that matches its captivating leading man.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 May 2026
The Hers’ approach matches that, but with the convenience of being online.
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Our trip here was a surprise, thanks to travel agency Journee, which asks vacationers to fill out a questionnaire and then matches them with an itinerary.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.
—Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
The first-year midfielder has six goals in 11 matches.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
The apex of international soccer will be on display this summer in Atlanta, but not everyone can get tickets to see the World Cup matches in the flesh.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 11 May 2026
In other National Women's Soccer League matches, host Kansas City beat the Chicago Stars 3-0, and Bay FC played to a scoreless draw with the Utah Royals.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
The matches were held at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is an indoor golf center that holds The Golf League events.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Boston is 1-5-2 with 5 points and is unbeaten in its last three matches after losing its first five matches.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Five of the matches at Boston Stadium will be group play competition.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 11 May 2026
Brentford has kept their opponents close, though — four of the five Premier League matches since the Burnley win have ended in a draw.
—John Riker, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Verb
And TelevisaUnivision has inked a slew of deals to keep up that cadence, including rights to CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Sudamericana, a renewal for CONCACAF’s Gold Cup and Nations League, and an extension for Mexican National Team matches through 2034.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The company has also extended its rights deal for Mexican National Team matches through 2034.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 12 May 2026
Siebert has refereed nine Champions League matches this season, with his most recent PSG fixture the league phase 0-0 draw against Athletic Club in December.
—Ali Rampling, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Soderbergh rarely missteps, and this is one of his most underrated films — a perfectly paced angry shout of a movie that matches its captivating leading man.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 May 2026
The Hers’ approach matches that, but with the convenience of being online.
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Our trip here was a surprise, thanks to travel agency Journee, which asks vacationers to fill out a questionnaire and then matches them with an itinerary.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 10 May 2026
Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.
—Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matches
Noun
-
The expansion of the NCAA men’s’ and women’s basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams, starting in March 2027, has been criticized by several prominent figures around the sport, including long-time ESPN analyst Dick Vitale.—
Gary Bedore
May 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
In the past, Warren and Bianchi took any opportunity to go to Bianchi’s family trailer at Normandy Farms Campground – cornhole tournaments, softball tournaments, volleyball tournaments – and would spend a night or two nights just hanging out.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The festival is broken into two halves, with an Intermission Party in between, featuring festive food, creative opportunities, and music, offering a chance to mingle with the artists and fellow guests amid the beauty of the farm.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Bridges was benched for the majority of the second halves in Games 3 and 4.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Researchers now hope to push the double copy framework even further by searching for particle-physics equivalents of other black hole features, including the event horizon itself — the boundary beyond which nothing can escape.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
-
Bose pros Bose products are known for their rich sound, and although Bose is a top audio equipment brand, many of them are more affordable than Sonos equivalents.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fallon showed framed pictures of him hanging out with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and posing with racecar studs Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar at the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Rittenhouse also posted pictures of himself in a hospital bed as well as a close-up shot of the spider's bite mark.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s why the series’ episodes that focus specifically on his rivalries with other climbers, in particular Honnold and Hunt, feel the most enlightening.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
-
The unanimous decision came during a nine-hour-long meeting that included several tense moments arising out of longstanding political rivalries.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The program complements recurring career workshops, led by my colleagues on the nursing school faculty offered within local high schools, community colleges, and historically Black colleges and universities in the Atlanta region.—
Nicholas A. Giordano,
STAT,
8 May 2026
-
The result is a product positioned as an accessory — something that complements a fashion look rather than serving as a traditional beauty add-on.—
Advertorial,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The Wildcat boot marries a classic silhouette with a touch of Hollywood glamour, the company says.—
Lisa Gutierrez
May 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
At the Saudi Pavilion, curated by Antonia Carver, Dana Awartani has constructed a room-filling installation that marries craft tradition with conceptual force.—
Pablo Larios,
Artforum,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Loosely based on the nonfiction book You and I—The Illness Suddenly Gets Worse by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono, the story follows the French director of a nursing home who attempts to introduce a more humane care technique and meets a terminally ill Japanese playwright.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
6 May 2026
-
Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Matches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matches. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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