as in battles
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
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Recent Examples of rivalries
The barbs thrown back and forth, creating headlines and fueling rivalries.
—
Luke Smith, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
JSerra-Mater Dei soccer is among the better rivalries in Orange County sports.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026
Great power rivalries Already, Israel’s recognition has rocked the balance of powers in a region where rich Gulf countries and others have a growing interest.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
With the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers set to face off in Saturday nights' playoff game, some local couples are hoping love can overcome even the biggest of rivalries.
—Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Not helping matters are festering rivalries within the opposition.
—John Otis, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
Small and middle powers, particularly those from the Global South, are stepping into this breach and providing an essential public good that great powers, bound by their own rivalries, increasingly cannot.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Enslaved people also worried about dangerous potions, because they could be used to settle disputes or end romantic rivalries.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Great-power rivalries and resistance from the colonized destabilized the system, producing two world wars that killed more than 80 million people.
—Peter Kornbluh, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Luke Smith, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
JSerra-Mater Dei soccer is among the better rivalries in Orange County sports.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026
Great power rivalries Already, Israel’s recognition has rocked the balance of powers in a region where rich Gulf countries and others have a growing interest.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
With the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers set to face off in Saturday nights' playoff game, some local couples are hoping love can overcome even the biggest of rivalries.
—Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Not helping matters are festering rivalries within the opposition.
—John Otis, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
Small and middle powers, particularly those from the Global South, are stepping into this breach and providing an essential public good that great powers, bound by their own rivalries, increasingly cannot.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Enslaved people also worried about dangerous potions, because they could be used to settle disputes or end romantic rivalries.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Great-power rivalries and resistance from the colonized destabilized the system, producing two world wars that killed more than 80 million people.
—Peter Kornbluh, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
-
Following the Bork confirmation debacle—when the Senate, closely split along party lines, rejected Robert Bork’s nomination to the Court—justices tended to reach the bench only after passing ideological screening systems and bruising Senate battles.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
From roster makeup to individual position battles to the coaches looking to exploit any advantage on the field, every bit of film is scrutinized to see which team has the advantage in January.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Their world inside Parchman was defined by regulation of contraband items, the work they were told to do, conflicts with other inmates, and the corruption and neglect of the prison administrators.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Though there are no mentions in Woman Down of conflicts between the cast of the movie-within-the-book, Petra did butt heads with a producer named Allister Jones, who was behind the changes to the plot for the adaptation.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The film centers on Malu, whose struggles with unresolved trauma and a difficult child take a nightmarish turn when an inexplicable curse brings toilets to life as murderous creatures, plunging her into a bizarre realm where maternal responsibilities, loss and existential dread intertwine.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Based on the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, this story highlights the struggles of a diverse group of women who come together to survive more than the destruction of their city.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Miley won eight of his 10 ground duels and one of his three in the air.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Much like the classic Tom Brady-Peyton Manning duels of old, the quarterback matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — the two current MVP frontrunners — is can’t-miss television.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Friday’s incident is the latest in a number of confrontations around the country in which agents have used deadly or what experts say is excessive force.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
But rather that politicians cannot proselytize for the confrontations.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
De Laurentiis took all the chaos in stride and was the expert judge for the cooking portion of the outrageous lineup of competitions.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The Midwest's best winter fests include big-city ice-carving competitions as well as cozy small-town gatherings.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
However, the reality is that peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and Europe are clearly stalled, if at worse dead with many contentions from both sides surrounding security concerns and, importantly, trade sanctions.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
She's also covered the cartel wars along the TX-MX border, Congress in Mexico City, 3 presidential races, and 6 hurricanes.—
Karen Brooks Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
No One Knows What to Call Venezuela The wars since 1945 have not actually been so explicitly about resources, yet the President can't seem to stop talking about oil and energy.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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