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
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
His rivals, in turn, will want to force Vermeersch and Politt to burn their matches early.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
The line has been so seismic for DC that the company has overtaken market share over longtime rival Marvel for the first time this century.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
In fact, early projections suggest this event could rival — or even surpass — the historic super El Niño events of 1982-83, 1997-98, and 2015-16.
—Anthony Franze, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
LeBron James had 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds but didn't get to compete against rival and pal Stephen Curry as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors 119-103 on Thursday night.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
His rivals, in turn, will want to force Vermeersch and Politt to burn their matches early.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The story follows rival illusionists Celia and Marco in a magical, traveling Victorian circus.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
The line has been so seismic for DC that the company has overtaken market share over longtime rival Marvel for the first time this century.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
The screen folds out to reveal a high-resolution touchscreen and a set of features and wireless connections that few other models of any configuration can rival.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
In fact, early projections suggest this event could rival — or even surpass — the historic super El Niño events of 1982-83, 1997-98, and 2015-16.
—Anthony Franze, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
Turns out, the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni is basically the floor-cleaning equivalent of a secret service agent.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
On April 8, Idaho’s snow-water equivalent — that is, the amount of water contained in its snowpack — was the lowest ever seen on that date, effectively resetting the state’s scale.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His opponents have strong cases, too.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The metrics now tell us the Penguins’ most likely playoff opponent in two weeks will be the Flyers.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The country has managed to find alternatives to some of the technology it has been cut off from, such as high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia competitors.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Nevertheless, rumors about Altman’s personal life have been exploited and distorted by competitors.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the competitive landscape, the model is expected to go head-to-head with rivals such as the Geely Galaxy M9, a large plug-in hybrid SUV that has already demonstrated strong early market traction with more than 11,000 deliveries in just the first two months of the year.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This was, according to the charter, arguably the moment when OpenAI might stop competing with other companies and start working with them.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Just go out there tomorrow and try to compete.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Following in Pauli’s footsteps, scientists involved in the effort carefully tabulate the electrons’ energies to make stringent measurements of any excess energy that went into making the counterpart neutrinos.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The resulting dough has a hearty texture, crispy chunks, and a deeper, more savory flavor than its counterparts.—
Anais Martinez,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Included in what would become a season-high 12-game winning streak were road victories over future Elite Eight foe Iowa and Purdue.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In the horror sequel, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return to face new foes as well the old murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
McDavid got the best of his matchup against his Canadian Olympic teammate and fellow Hart Trophy contender Macklin Celebrini, who scored on the power play to give San Jose a 1-0 lead.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Several potential 2028 contenders are attending the annual gathering, which gives them the opportunity to address thousands of civil rights leaders, media figures, and advocates working to advance issues important to Black and Brown communities.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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