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
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In both his previous wins, in China and Japan, Antonelli greatly benefitted from his Mercedes car having a big pace advantage over its rivals, said Tom Cary in The Daily Telegraph.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 May 2026
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
But now, as the company’s recently launched ChatGPT soared, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had discovered that Musk was planning a rival AI venture and poaching talent from the start-up, according to federal court testimony this week.
—Elizabeth Dwoskin, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
Meals here rival those in larger cities, but navigability and affordability encourage exploration, offering visitors a chance to taste their way through multi-course menus and hidden gems alike.
—Lori Fredrich, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
The rule requires stations to give equal airtime to all legally qualified candidates for public office — if one is featured, his or her rivals have to be given time, too.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In both his previous wins, in China and Japan, Antonelli greatly benefitted from his Mercedes car having a big pace advantage over its rivals, said Tom Cary in The Daily Telegraph.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 May 2026
Adjective
In the Mayflower Athletic Conference, TJ Willis potted a pair of goals and dished out an assist as Southeastern defeated rival Blue Hills, 7-3.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
But now, as the company’s recently launched ChatGPT soared, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had discovered that Musk was planning a rival AI venture and poaching talent from the start-up, according to federal court testimony this week.
—Elizabeth Dwoskin, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Verb
That includes showdowns with district rivals Sandburg and Stagg plus area powerhouses Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East and Lockport.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
Meals here rival those in larger cities, but navigability and affordability encourage exploration, offering visitors a chance to taste their way through multi-course menus and hidden gems alike.
—Lori Fredrich, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
Sixty-five years later, two of the most consequential business leaders of this century — Tim Cook of Apple and Reed Hastings of Netflix — have given us the corporate equivalent.—
Paul Hardart,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Unsurprisingly, opponents of surrogacy have seized on the Arcadia scandal to call for an outright ban on the practice.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Sara Keck struck out eight while going the distance as Wilmington won 5-1 over Middlesex League opponent Lexington.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Now the airline’s demise has cleared the way for competitors to raise their prices—and has left roughly seventeen thousand people out of work.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
The bad blood that had festered between the two competitors came to a boiling point.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Outside the venue, the earlier rally led by former NCAA athlete Sophia Lorey focused on fairness and competitive balance in girls’ sports.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
But there are some important factors that could lower their ceiling, namely depressed enthusiasm with some key groups, the fact that there are fewer competitive districts than ever before and the state of the redistricting battle.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
And Joly’s ability to stick in Denver and compete with Engram in camp will ultimately come down to Payton’s trust in Joly as a blocker, as Engram was on the field in a blocking role for just 18% of his snaps in 2025.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Their Democratic counterparts have often lagged in comparison.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi pressed his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and refrain from resuming hostilities during a meeting in Beijing.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
But soon enough, old secrets and new foes force them back together.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
-
The nonconference schedule is loaded with power conference foes and could be the most ambitious in school history.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
While some contenders tasted nearly candied, the sugar here was just enough to balance the other flavors at play.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 May 2026
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Green also mixed it up with Barkley, a longtime subject of Warriors fans’ ire because of his status as a holdout against the early Curry-Green-Klay Thompson Golden State teams’ viability as a true contender, citing their reliance on jumpshooting.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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