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
Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 8 June 2026
After asking Siri about the World Cup in a demo, the user is able to pull down the tab to access a new text input field and more information about, in the example, World Cup matches.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 8 June 2026
Of course, for those who would rather buy a home or a couple of decent cars, there’s always watch parties, most of which are free, or Fox Sports, which will air 70 of the most important matches.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
Average daily hotel room rates typically range between $145 and $155 during June and July and are projected to double that figure during the World Cup matches, according to the DDA, citing figures supplied by the Visit Lauderdale tourism marketing agency.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
Who could forget the early-aughts era of Victoria Beckham and her fellow WAGs arriving at matches in tiny shorts and oversized sunglasses?
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 8 June 2026
The matches run June 15 to July 18.
—Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
Eight matches will be held at the Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), accessible from multiple MARTA train and bus stops in the city's entertainment district.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Other group play matches are scheduled to be shown at Fit Social.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
The Portugal midfielder would join on a free transfer and is seen as one of those ‘market opportunities’ who also matches their playing philosophy.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Neither defines a mechanism for the agent to test whether the product description matches the physical product.
—Michael Quoc, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The Oceanside venue is scheduled to host a watch party on the second day of the World Cup when Canada matches up against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the USA battles Paraguay.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026
Barclays' call matches the consensus on Wall Street.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 1 June 2026
Brendan Fraser matches in green with his kids, Griffin Arthur Fraser and Leland Francis Fraser at the Pressure premiere in New York City on May 26.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026
The leaders who succeed will be the ones who acknowledge that the job has outgrown its title, and the boards that succeed will be the ones that stop assuming the job description on file still matches the job–and start building the structures, pipeline, and executive support the role now demands.
—Aslesha Mehta, Fortune, 26 May 2026
The elastic waist skirt with its intricate scalloped hem perfectly matches the sleeveless, cropped top, which has a playful (and comfortable) bubble hem.
—Morgan Evans, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026
Noun
The World Cup kicks off this week with opening matches starting on Thursday.
—Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 8 June 2026
After asking Siri about the World Cup in a demo, the user is able to pull down the tab to access a new text input field and more information about, in the example, World Cup matches.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 8 June 2026
Of course, for those who would rather buy a home or a couple of decent cars, there’s always watch parties, most of which are free, or Fox Sports, which will air 70 of the most important matches.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
Average daily hotel room rates typically range between $145 and $155 during June and July and are projected to double that figure during the World Cup matches, according to the DDA, citing figures supplied by the Visit Lauderdale tourism marketing agency.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
Who could forget the early-aughts era of Victoria Beckham and her fellow WAGs arriving at matches in tiny shorts and oversized sunglasses?
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 8 June 2026
The matches run June 15 to July 18.
—Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 8 June 2026
Eight matches will be held at the Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), accessible from multiple MARTA train and bus stops in the city's entertainment district.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Other group play matches are scheduled to be shown at Fit Social.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Verb
Cities across India observe Holi, but the energy and crowd size vary significantly by region, so travelers should research which destination matches their tolerance for intensity before booking.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
The Portugal midfielder would join on a free transfer and is seen as one of those ‘market opportunities’ who also matches their playing philosophy.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Neither defines a mechanism for the agent to test whether the product description matches the physical product.
—Michael Quoc, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The Oceanside venue is scheduled to host a watch party on the second day of the World Cup when Canada matches up against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the USA battles Paraguay.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026
Barclays' call matches the consensus on Wall Street.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 1 June 2026
Brendan Fraser matches in green with his kids, Griffin Arthur Fraser and Leland Francis Fraser at the Pressure premiere in New York City on May 26.
—People Staff, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026
The leaders who succeed will be the ones who acknowledge that the job has outgrown its title, and the boards that succeed will be the ones that stop assuming the job description on file still matches the job–and start building the structures, pipeline, and executive support the role now demands.
—Aslesha Mehta, Fortune, 26 May 2026
The elastic waist skirt with its intricate scalloped hem perfectly matches the sleeveless, cropped top, which has a playful (and comfortable) bubble hem.
—Morgan Evans, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matches
Noun
-
In all, Mesa made 13 JUCO tournaments before transitioning to a four-year school.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
Federer extends his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
But Harper didn’t do enough to balance his halves.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Instead of those handle halves folding around close to 180 degrees to reveal a central set of pliers like many other Leathermans do, one of the Crunch's handles pulls out and swings downward via an internal arm to reveal the pliers, which in turn swing into position.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Models like Mythos are unique today, but history is clear that open-weight equivalents will follow.—
Philip Martin,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
How different to the NASA equivalents at Cape Canaveral (then Cape Kennedy) and Houston, which were already well established in the national lexicon by the late '60s.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
On a recent day, a stream of visitors, including school children, walked through the circular room, stopping to sit behind the desk and pose for pictures.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
On a recent day, a stream of visitors, including schoolchildren, walked through the circular room, stopping to sit behind the desk and pose for pictures.—
Sophia Tareen,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The narrative tracks Maurício (Reymond), a retired player striving to establish a new career as an agent in the aggressive football business while managing industry rivalries, family tensions, and the legacy of his past disappointments.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
The diary was still treated primarily as evidence of motive, evidence about the boys, their rivalries, their jealousy, their emotional states.—
Kate Casey,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The large bit driver complements the 1/4-in hex bit driver that returns at the base of the handle below the plier adjustment knob.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 June 2026
-
Who complements Javonte Williams at running back?—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The royal wedding of the summer is coming up in just over a week, as Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips marries Harriet Sperling on June 6 in a private ceremony in Gloucestershire.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
-
The high-end town marries some of the best skiing and shopping in the world.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Think Woodstock lodge meets the French Alps meets Williamsburg, Brooklyn in the winter where classic rock 'n' roll tunes from the likes of Springsteen and The Stones add to its cozy retro vibe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Eventually Erica Kane meets Dimitri, and they get married and divorced and married again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Matches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matches. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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