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
One of the fiercest divisional rivalries in the NFL will have a new look to it.
—
Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Cherfilus-McCormick referenced a previous interaction with Wasserman Schultz, signaling that political rivalries could intensify if both enter the race for District 20.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Six months after one of college football’s most storied rivalries stalled, USC and Notre Dame are in active discussions to resume play, The Times has learned.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
The shorter regular season, smaller playoff field relative to the size of the sport, historic rivalries and the organization of teams into (formerly) regional conferences created a unique dynamic.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
That’s why the series’ episodes that focus specifically on his rivalries with other climbers, in particular Honnold and Hunt, feel the most enlightening.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026
The unanimous decision came during a nine-hour-long meeting that included several tense moments arising out of longstanding political rivalries.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Her defeat is likely to weaken her leverage within an opposition bloc already divided by regional rivalries.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
The announcement also follows years of divergence between Emirati and Saudi oil policies, as well as the growth of competitive rivalries between the two countries over wider regional questions.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Cherfilus-McCormick referenced a previous interaction with Wasserman Schultz, signaling that political rivalries could intensify if both enter the race for District 20.
—Abby Dodge, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Six months after one of college football’s most storied rivalries stalled, USC and Notre Dame are in active discussions to resume play, The Times has learned.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
The shorter regular season, smaller playoff field relative to the size of the sport, historic rivalries and the organization of teams into (formerly) regional conferences created a unique dynamic.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
That’s why the series’ episodes that focus specifically on his rivalries with other climbers, in particular Honnold and Hunt, feel the most enlightening.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026
The unanimous decision came during a nine-hour-long meeting that included several tense moments arising out of longstanding political rivalries.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Her defeat is likely to weaken her leverage within an opposition bloc already divided by regional rivalries.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
The announcement also follows years of divergence between Emirati and Saudi oil policies, as well as the growth of competitive rivalries between the two countries over wider regional questions.
—Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
-
But if both of those battles end up as washes, the Knicks could pull away in this series because their work on the glass earns them extra shots.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Trustees increasingly want leaders capable of navigating not only fundraising and research growth, but also the political battles reshaping higher education.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
While the Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark interest rate on hold so far in 2026, inflation surged in March and April on the back of a rising oil price, overseas conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
Recent conflicts have accelerated interest in unmanned maritime warfare.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Those struggles can manifest in a range of ways, McClanahan said, from finding new coping mechanisms to replace food to ongoing body image concerns, even after weight loss.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
14 May 2026
-
During the meeting, teams spoke about their struggles to support their travel to competitions.—
Katie Servas,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Most of those have come from physical duels in the box but a few were the result of frustration, too.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
The team won 64% of its duels overall and 81% of aerial duels while making more tackles, interceptions, clearances and more.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
This week’s quiz spotlights country stars and celebrity confrontations.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Both men were hospitalized after the shooting; community members describe Eatherly as someone whose provocative actions have intensified tensions and dangerous confrontations.—
Kristin M. Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
As YouTube has invested in its lean-back offerings designed for TV viewers, ESPN has brought more longform and live content to the platform, including live streams of elite youth basketball, flag football and volleyball competitions.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
-
Cooking competitions bring together local chefs and home cooks, who showcase their creativity with traditional recipes and creative interpretations of the fruit.—
Taryn White,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The main contentions were the state not fully funding public schools according to the state’s funding formula and an additional $10 million to support the Missouri Scholars Program, which can go toward students in private schools.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
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The passing of time is the only thing that will reveal the veracity of their contentions and what some of the underlying numbers suggest regarding the quality of their at-bats not being reflected in their production.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The command post at Port of Shuaiba was similar to structures commonplace during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — before the rise of drone warfare.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
For example, a large body of research looks at gender imbalances after wars, when societies lose large numbers of young men.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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