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
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.
—
Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Premiering in 2011, the edgy comedy follows Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) as her life unravels while serving as maid of honor for her best friend Lillian Donovan (Maya Rudolph), leading to a string of wedding planning mishaps and bridal party rivalries.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Few rivalries in golf have endured with the same intensity and respect over time.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Know The In-State Rivalry Games SEC rivalries, especially interstate battles, are no joke—and many are played Thanksgiving weekend.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
While the Boot Bowl in Burleson (try saying that fast 10 times) isn’t as old as many other rivalries, the intensity of the annual football game between the crosstown rival Burleson Elks and Centennial Spartans is unparalleled in the eyes of those involved.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2025
Mercedes-Benz and BMW have long had one of the toughest rivalries in the automotive world.
—New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2025
Clubs drive year-round rivalries, but national teams—playing under one flag—unite fans, spark government investment and turn athletes into cultural icons.
—Sportico Sponsored Content, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2025
This is meant to help address any inter-service rivalries.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Premiering in 2011, the edgy comedy follows Annie Walker (Kristen Wiig) as her life unravels while serving as maid of honor for her best friend Lillian Donovan (Maya Rudolph), leading to a string of wedding planning mishaps and bridal party rivalries.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Few rivalries in golf have endured with the same intensity and respect over time.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Know The In-State Rivalry Games SEC rivalries, especially interstate battles, are no joke—and many are played Thanksgiving weekend.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
While the Boot Bowl in Burleson (try saying that fast 10 times) isn’t as old as many other rivalries, the intensity of the annual football game between the crosstown rival Burleson Elks and Centennial Spartans is unparalleled in the eyes of those involved.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2025
Mercedes-Benz and BMW have long had one of the toughest rivalries in the automotive world.
—New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2025
Clubs drive year-round rivalries, but national teams—playing under one flag—unite fans, spark government investment and turn athletes into cultural icons.
—Sportico Sponsored Content, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2025
This is meant to help address any inter-service rivalries.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
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As a smart two-way player who can win board battles and create offense off the rush, Celebrini’s game translated extremely favorably to the pro ranks.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Launched in 2003, this sci-fi MMORPG has played host to epic spaceship battles and intergalactic heists on a scale that most other multiplayer games can only dream of.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The multibillion-dollar deal brings an end to legal conflicts that captured global attention and cements a clear future for the companies at the center of American and international news.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
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The laboratory also stressed the need for resilience against electronic warfare, particularly GPS jamming and spoofing, which have become common tactics in modern conflicts.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Before welcoming William, the couple endured a six-year-long road to parenthood that included health issues for each of them in addition to their fertility struggles.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Fall in Michigan means less and less daylight as the season goes on and for many that signals the start of seasonal mental health struggles, though coping strategies can help, experts say.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The 27-year-old is technical, strong in duels, has a great engine to move up and down the pitch, a good ball progresser and reader of the game.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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From playoff duels to major championship showdowns, their careers have been intertwined since the late 1990s.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Two men shot by Denver police – one who was killed and one seriously injured – in separate confrontations in late August were wielding fake guns, Denver Police Department officials said Thursday.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
5 Sep. 2025
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Cow attacks previously prompted by dogs Dangerous and occasionally fatal confrontations with cows are a common occurence during mountain hikes in Austria often prompted by dog, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The story is different in the three UEFA competitions, and nine English clubs had to consider their approach with continental rules in mind, too.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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The piracy network showed unauthorized streams of NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games, as well as soccer matches from England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, and other European leagues, plus games from Major League Soccer, UEFA competitions, and qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Many types of delusional disorders involve specific claims or contentions.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Players are being paid directly by their schools, ADs are looking for alternative sources of revenue and recruits are launching bidding wars.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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Among the reasons the name was chosen, according to historians, was to signal that the United States prioritized preventing wars in the post-World War II nuclear age.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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