1
as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
a design that is a rival to any produced by a professional graphic artist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
the boxer's toughest rival thus far
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in competitor
one who strives for the same thing as another
the four cities that are the top rivals for the site of the next Olympic Games
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in competitive
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rival
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was speaking to the media after Everton’s 2-0 win against Burnley on Tuesday when Rodrigo Gomes scored for Wolverhampton Wanderers against the home side’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The Few But Plenty crew committed numerous drive-by shootings and sometimes injured people with no gang affiliation or who were mistaken for members of a rival gang.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Pinspark Matching 2-Piece Lounge Set Pinspark's matching two-piece set has soft fabric with four-way stretch that's comfortable enough to rival your best pajamas.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
Perry, 40, was in his first campaign as a King after spending time with rivals like the Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was speaking to the media after Everton’s 2-0 win against Burnley on Tuesday when Rodrigo Gomes scored for Wolverhampton Wanderers against the home side’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
That success prompted rival San Diego promoters to launch their own smooth jazz concert series, most of which quickly fell by the wayside.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The Few But Plenty crew committed numerous drive-by shootings and sometimes injured people with no gang affiliation or who were mistaken for members of a rival gang.
—Logan Smith, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
Berman, whose level of consistent stress is only rivaled by the orange M&M, is quickly becoming my favorite character.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Pinspark Matching 2-Piece Lounge Set Pinspark's matching two-piece set has soft fabric with four-way stretch that's comfortable enough to rival your best pajamas.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
Their weekly grocery bill has dropped from the equivalent of about $400 to $267; fuel and public transport are 40% cheaper; and GP visits cost 25% less – with same-day appointments replacing week-long waits.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team played the equivalent of a heavyweight fight to close out the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday afternoon in Columbia.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Marcus Smart stepped in front of driving opponents.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The club also won its first three league matches for the first time while outscoring its opponents 6-0.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The key points of the settlement include an over $200-million payment, a divestment from some amphitheaters, a gradual end to exclusive ticketing contracts with venues, and opening up Ticketmaster’s platform to competitors.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Starz launched in 1994 as a premium cable channel that was positioned as a competitor to the likes of Showtime and HBO Max.—
Ellie Austin,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
HostArmada is an excellent web host for individual creators and small businesses looking for competitive plans that won't break the bank.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Student in highly competitive high school learns that focusing on arts plus taking only one AP class equals an object of ridicule.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Executives have been preaching the virtues of consolidation, framing it as the only way for legacy media companies to compete with technology companies.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Implats, which competes with Valterra and Sibanye-Stillwater in the platinum group metals market, has a long-standing presence in Zimbabwe, having steadily built its stake in Zimplats in the early 2000s and become the dominant owner, holding more than 80% of the company.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
International co-production will be addressed through the Producers Connect platform which aims to match local producers with their counterparts overseas.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
First and second graders continue to perform worse than their pre-pandemic counterparts on math and reading tests, according to a report published Tuesday by the education assessment and research group NWEA.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Oakland, the company has encountered numerous foes, including former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who unsuccessfully tried to indict Radius on numerous felony charges in 2023 over a massive fire that left black smoke billowing in the sky.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Over that eight-game win streak, only two foes had shot better than 50% from the floor (UNLV, Air Force) and only one — the Zoomies — had connected at a 40% clip or better from beyond the arc.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Typically some time in January, the composer begins researching top awards contenders and toying with recognizable melodies from their scores.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Astros signed Altuve to a long-term extension in 2013, years before the club again became contenders.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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