as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a boxing matchup that promises to be a sportswriter's dream
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of matchups
On Sunday, there’s a World Cup debutant taking on a powerhouse, two dark horses meeting in Texas, and two matchups that have plenty of intrigue despite flying under the radar a little bit.
—
Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
One result of this new oversized 48-team tournament is fewer matchups as riveting as this one … at least on paper.
—Andy Clayton, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
The event featured a intense Florida and familial rivalry between the Miami Mayhem and the Palm Beach Passion, alongside matchups featuring the Austin Aces and Dallas Dream.
—Sean Pitts, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2026
Instead, Freedom 250 has seven fights in total, headlined by two title bouts that aren’t the most prestigious or most star-driven matchups the UFC could have showcased.
—Mark Puleo, New York Times, 13 June 2026
On Saturday, matchups include games between Haiti and Scotland, Australia and Turkey, Brazil and Morocco and Qatar and Switzerland.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
The venture pits players from a variety of backgrounds in a series of one-on-one matchups.
—Christian Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026
Over their past four matchups, dating back to March, the team is just 1-3 with at least two goals allowed in each game.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
The Buffs and Rams have tussled 34 times in the last 43 years, with CU winning 26 of the matchups.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
One result of this new oversized 48-team tournament is fewer matchups as riveting as this one … at least on paper.
—Andy Clayton, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
The event featured a intense Florida and familial rivalry between the Miami Mayhem and the Palm Beach Passion, alongside matchups featuring the Austin Aces and Dallas Dream.
—Sean Pitts, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2026
Instead, Freedom 250 has seven fights in total, headlined by two title bouts that aren’t the most prestigious or most star-driven matchups the UFC could have showcased.
—Mark Puleo, New York Times, 13 June 2026
On Saturday, matchups include games between Haiti and Scotland, Australia and Turkey, Brazil and Morocco and Qatar and Switzerland.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
The venture pits players from a variety of backgrounds in a series of one-on-one matchups.
—Christian Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026
Over their past four matchups, dating back to March, the team is just 1-3 with at least two goals allowed in each game.
—David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
The Buffs and Rams have tussled 34 times in the last 43 years, with CU winning 26 of the matchups.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matchups
Noun
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Students at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill designed and 3D-printed a new version of the vuvuzela, the loud plastic horn that became infamous during past international soccer tournaments.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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The algorithm has been trained on all matches played at the major soccer tournaments since World Cup 2006.—
Achim Zeileis,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The Americans will face Australia in the second of three group-stage games next Friday in Seattle, where a draw will all but guarantee them a spot in the round of 32, something Pulisic said should be just the first objective for this team.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Wendy Naugle,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Noun
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On March 1 of this year, the Qatari soccer federation postponed all matches during the ongoing war between Israel and Iran while other sporting events in the region were also affected.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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Alongside the large-scale events, the pope made time for low-key but moments.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
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The 29-year-old was actually born in Colombia and represented the country in youth competitions early in his career.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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The Southern Fried Poetry Slam is in Orlando through Sunday, with a full schedule of competitions and community events.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Take a look Security was tight at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night at the first of seven World Cup matches in South Florida.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
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Their journey to the World Cup has been uniquely fraught, with a war erupting between the host of their matches and their home country.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Matchups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matchups. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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