rival 1 of 3

noun

ˈrī-vəl How to pronounce rival (audio)
Definition of rivalnext
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

rival

2 of 3

adjective

as in competitive

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

rival

3 of 3

verb

as in to compete
to engage in a contest two longtime friends who have rivaled for the same things at every stage of their lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rival
Noun
If Utah can shut down Kalshi, that could spell trouble for Kalshi’s chief prediction-market rival, Polymarket, and for sports betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 29 Oct. 2026 Political parties often support extra candidates on ballots to try to pull votes from their rivals. — Meg Kinnard, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Adjective
New York — DoorDash is buying rival Instacart in a deal worth roughly $17 billion, signaling that the delivery wars continue to heat up. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 Playing opposite Ian McKellen as Xavier’s old friend turned rival Magneto, Stewart brought a touch of Shakespearean gravitas to the fledgling franchise, returning to the role for seven more films over the next 22 years. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
The streamer has far more subscribers than rivals Amazon Prime, HBO Max or Disney+. — Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026 Dua Lipa’s taste in books is rivaled only by her penchants for some very fabulous fashions. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
  1. equivalent
  2. opponent
  3. competitor
  4. competitive
  5. compete
  6. counterpart
  7. foe
  8. contender
Noun
  • This elegant purple is the equivalent of buying a classic Max Mara trench in mulberry instead of tan—streamlined and simple, but with a wink.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The company held almost $132 billion in cash, equivalents and short-term investments at the end of June.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of equivalent
Noun
  • Sorrells said that his opponent’s assessment is Ill-informed.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But that game was in New York and this one was in Charlotte’s backyard and, more importantly, against a far better opponent.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of opponent
Noun
  • Anthropic’s future — and that of its competitors — relies heavily on the availability of computing components to train its models and power AI chatbots and agents.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026
  • On a per-range basis, a customer will be able to buy a fourth-gen GM EV for less money than a competitor’s profitable model without relying on subsidies.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of competitor
Adjective
  • The idea was to mash together the gentle art of gardening with a competitive sport, almost framing it as a beat-’em-up.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Pima County, in south-central Arizona, is home to one of the most competitive congressional races in the country.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of competitive
Verb
  • The council evaluated four competing proposals solicited after the city issued a contract termination notice to trash hauler Republic Services in September.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Africa is attracting investment from major miners as China and Western governments compete to secure minerals for clean energy and advanced technologies.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of compete
Noun
  • His Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, confirmed the truce was holding and that Russian engineers are working on demining Oleshky's roads.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • According to the European Parliament, in meetings with Chinese counterparts, Members stressed that neither side would benefit from a trade conflict.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of counterpart
Noun
  • The backup looked functional, if not better, in his lone start against a top-10 foe, but the sample size remains small.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The team totaled 463 yards against the Cougars, its most against a conference foe since amassing 578 yards against the Mountaineers.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of foe
Noun
  • For much of the rest of his career, as senator and as a contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 1920 and 1924, Johnson tried to pull his party back to its skepticism of monopolistic riches, but never could.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The film is among the Oscar contenders this year including best actor for Pascal, and with the strong reviews, perhaps even best picture.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of contender

Browse Nearby Words

ritzy
rival
rivaled
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Cite this Entry

“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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