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
Timoja had been misinformed that the ruler of Goa, Yusuf Adil Shah, had died, leaving behind a young and inexperienced successor, and that internal rivalries among Deccan rulers had further weakened Goa.
—
Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
If festive pride persists, it is no longer connected to a country, empire, culture, or race, but the unique traditions of individual municipalities, pitted against one another in fierce but friendly, sportsmanlike rivalries.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
The beloved candy has a colorful history of flavor rivalries, jaw-dropping production numbers and even a presidential fan.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
One of Florida’s best baseball rivalries more than lived up to the hype when Bishop Moore and Winter Park treated a big crowd to an edge-of-your-seat pitcher’s duel on Monday night.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
The series features family dynamics, fierce rivalries, and the untold stories behind one of America’s most iconic sports.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Population size can influence geopolitical rivalries.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye, said regional rivalries and security threats have long prevented cross-border energy pipelines.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
But there were also rivalries — and who got to control a bigger share of the work was hotly contested.
—Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
If festive pride persists, it is no longer connected to a country, empire, culture, or race, but the unique traditions of individual municipalities, pitted against one another in fierce but friendly, sportsmanlike rivalries.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
The beloved candy has a colorful history of flavor rivalries, jaw-dropping production numbers and even a presidential fan.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
One of Florida’s best baseball rivalries more than lived up to the hype when Bishop Moore and Winter Park treated a big crowd to an edge-of-your-seat pitcher’s duel on Monday night.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
The series features family dynamics, fierce rivalries, and the untold stories behind one of America’s most iconic sports.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Population size can influence geopolitical rivalries.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye, said regional rivalries and security threats have long prevented cross-border energy pipelines.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
-
And tourism-dependent Saipan - the site of one of World War II's bloodiest battles in the Pacific - was still reeling from Yutu when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Hunter said.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Fox Valley has lost a war hero – not the kind who fought the enemy with military prowess but who waged her battles with a fierce faith in God and a heart that beat with joy and compassion.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The leaders of China and Spain on Tuesday pledged to strengthen their relations and work to safeguard multilateralism at a time when the world is being impacted by various conflicts, including the recent war in Iran, during a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The stakes are high — suffice it to say, the tip is on the line — but the substance of the conflicts is absolutely ridiculous.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meta suggested that Kaley’s mental-health struggles were attributable not to social-media addiction but, rather, to her mother’s emotional and physical abuse and neglect, and that Kaley’s social-media use was not the source of her troubles but a way to cope with them.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The mayor last December went on to lose a historic budget vote, in what one ally declared was a return of the 1980s Council Wars – a reference to the struggles of former Mayor Harold Washington.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Barcelona’s attacking production right now relies heavily on the 18-year-old, who last night led the team in duels (16), successful take-ons (eight), possessions won (eight), fouls won (six) and chances created (three).—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay claims to the waters, a key global trade route, but territorial confrontations have particularly spiked between Chinese and Philippine forces in recent years.—
Jim Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The problem is this can create confrontations in all your one-on-one relationships, especially spouses, partners and close friends.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The professional darts player and reigning Dutch champion, 29, shared an emotional goodbye message to her sport after the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) ruled that transgender women will not be able to compete in women's competitions on Thursday, April 9.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The show includes floral arranging competitions, horticulture displays, demonstrations and lectures along with entertainment, beer and wine garden and shopping along with a Homefront competition that recognizes outstanding gardens of local homes and businesses.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
An administration official would make a claim about what happened, and later evidence would find these contentions to be misleading.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While Iran has set ending the wars in Lebanon and the region as a condition for talks with the United States, Lebanon insists on representing itself.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
New wars are sustaining old energy regimes, driving price volatility through the same fossil-fuel supply chains the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program was designed to buffer against half a century ago.—
Diana Hernández,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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