rivaling 1 of 2

variants or rivalling
present participle of rival
as in competing
to engage in a contest two longtime friends who have rivaled for the same things at every stage of their lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rivaling

2 of 2

adjective

variants or rivalling

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 rivaling
Adjective
Xavier is his studio’s key to rivaling the actor Sidney Poitier, and his every move is carefully calculated, up until Xavier’s untimely death at the height of his career. Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025 Neuroscience confirms that a rival’s failure actually activates the ventral striatum, the brain’s pleasure center, rivaling the thrill of a team’s success. Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Researchers say the global potential is vast, potentially one day rivaling hydropower if costs continue to come down. New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025 The building is practically an antique itself, rivaling the town of Belmont, which was established just 20 years before the mall. Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025 These orthotic-rivaling insoles offer several benefits and are strategically designed to cradle your feet. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025 China showcased interceptor missiles designed for air and missile defense on Wednesday, rivaling a similar system being built by the United States, known as the Golden Dome. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025 Compared to 15 years ago, when landlords were signing deals for $45 per square foot, retail rents along North 6th Street are now rivaling Soho, with leases reaching $500 a square foot for some storefronts. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 4 Sep. 2025 With the lyricism of John McPhee and scientific bona fides rivaling any academic geologist, Brannen is in a class of his own as the preeminent scribe of Earth science today. Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivaling
Verb
  • Again, multiple collectives competing against each other was an issue all over the country, including at Penn State’s main competition for Big Ten supremacy.
    Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
  • If not, there will be no need to rush back Williams and McCray-Ball from their injuries just to join a team that has no chance of competing this season.
    Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Different gamers have different opinions about aim assists and in-game hacks, but most lean toward keeping competitive games as fair as possible.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Without it, the NFL would need to replace its current pool-and-share revenue policy—which ensures competitive balance—with a system where every team would hit the market on its own.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But instead of fighting my body and losing, now my body and I fight together against our enemy, anxiety.
    Jack Korngold, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Meghan and Harry might be fighting constantly over her Netflix show With Love, Meghan.
    StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Going back to 1977, Virginia has elected a governor in the opposite party as the president, every election cycle except 2013.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The film’s abundant humor and humanity are both rooted in DiCaprio’s ability to contain both of those people at once — to span the distance between those opposite shores while flailing towards each of them with equal desperation.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With the Lakeshore player on the ground, the Kalamazoo Central player then leapt on top of the opposing player, pancaking him as the play appeared to be over.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025
  • This was the polar opposite of those many games when there are a lot of opposing fans in the stadium already and then the Panthers fall behind by 20 and, by the end, the opposing fans are all that is left.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rivaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivaling. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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