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
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Recent Examples of rival
Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
And as long as rival options look as brightly colored as ever, many food-makers aren't willing to be the first to go dull.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
The result is a set of policies that has baffled some China experts, or at least raised questions about the president’s stance on America’s friendly rival.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Trump isn't responsible for such long-term trends as Beijing's determination to rival the United States in global influence, or Putin's evolution to an entrenched authoritarian with expansionist ambitions.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
The news also boosted shares of rival AI infrastructure firm CoreWeave, which was up 8%.
—Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
And as long as rival options look as brightly colored as ever, many food-makers aren't willing to be the first to go dull.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
Masino stepped in as the chain was struggling to recover from the pandemic, had underinvested in restaurants and technology for years, and was losing customers to rivals.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
The result is a set of policies that has baffled some China experts, or at least raised questions about the president’s stance on America’s friendly rival.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Great Nicobar rivals Ecuador’s Galápagos with its cultural and biological wealth.
—M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Trump isn't responsible for such long-term trends as Beijing's determination to rival the United States in global influence, or Putin's evolution to an entrenched authoritarian with expansionist ambitions.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
The addictive opioid drug is 50 times more potent than morphine and can trigger a fatal overdose with as little as 2 milligrams, the equivalent of a few grains of salt.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The heft of batteries means EVs are generally a few hundred kilograms heavier than their fossil fuel equivalents.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Through two games, the Ragin’ Cajuns have held opponents to an average of 12 points per game — a mark that’s tied for the best in the Sun Belt.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
-
And if history continues to repeat itself, the Panthers will continue to look like first-half fodder to their opponents over the next several weeks.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As Lyles started to activate his signature top-end speed, his Jamaican competitors continued to pull away ahead of him.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Production shutdowns, layoffs BrightDrop's struggles come less than a year after GM folded the commercial vans into its Chevrolet brand in a bid to boost its performance as GM tries to gain ground against competitors, including Ford and Rivian, in the electric van space.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Drennan, 43, grew up helping his brothers and uncles build derby cars and later competed in a few derbies himself.—
Sean Clancy,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Masino argued the company needed to update its image, menu and restaurants to compete in a difficult environment.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Nevertheless, the deal appears to address the structural and competitive friction that has complicated the relationship between OpenAI and its largest investor, paving the way for the $500 billion startup to convert its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation (PBC).—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
-
For years, revised political maps have boosted Democrats’ competitive edge in Maryland.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer reports that jobs requiring AI skills pay an average of 56% more than their non-AI counterparts, and that the skill sets demanded in these roles are evolving 66% faster than in traditional jobs.—
Dr. Aviva Legatt,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
To break those down, The Athletic convened the following discussion between Dodgers beat writer Fabian Ardaya and his Padres counterpart, Dennis Lin.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The teams may again meet this weekend in a match-up that will again stoke the political machinations between the foes.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Master Chief, much like the Doom Slayer, dwarfed most of his foes and was nigh-on invulnerable.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There still isn’t a ton of pressure on Canales to win at a contender-level clip but not reaching at least a two-game improvement would be a massive disappointment.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
After a first sampling of every contender, the group established the front-runners.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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