RIVALRIES Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

rivalries

noun

plural of rivalry

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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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 rivalries As the diffusion of power fuels geopolitical rivalries, Americans are growing weary of entanglement in a fragmenting world. — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026 Through schoolyard rivalries, neighborhood hustles, and family setbacks, Kev turns every disaster into a story. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 Alcohol flows, rivalries scald, and humiliations pile up—a few prove transformative, while the rest are swallowed like medicine. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 With division rivalries, a Sunday night shootout and a crucial London showdown on tap, Week 6 could tell us a lot about which teams are legitimate contenders and which are headed for disappointment. — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026 There are a few big rivalries in the NFL, but almost none have as much history as Chicago and Green Bay. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Death in Llanes K 2000, 100 Balas A real-life councillor’s murder fuels this SkyShowtime crime drama, where political rivalries and an unexpected love triangle drive the mystery. — Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 City's team bus has been targeted by Liverpool fans in the past as rivalries have grown between the teams. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries

Noun

Policy Policy Your guide to the Supreme Court, federal courts, judicial nominations, and the legal battles shaping American policy.

— Washington Examiner, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2026
That changed after the 2020 presidential election, when secretaries of state in places such as Arizona, Georgia and Michigan were thrust into battles over election results, certification and false claims of widespread fraud.

— Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of battles

Noun

His critics see a president who failed to tame inflation and keep America out of overseas conflicts, and whose agenda has fueled higher prices as the war with Iran appears to be at a stalemate.

— JOSH BOAK, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Inter-regional conflicts Disagreements over the future of water in Texas are already playing out.

— Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of conflicts

Noun

Ohio State could still beat USC on the road, even with a backup, considering the Trojans' struggles to win big games under Riley and their suffocating defense.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Kansas City officials have acknowledged the city’s struggles to address homelessness, with reports ranking the city as among the worst in terms of the number of people without shelter.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of struggles

Noun

In defence, his lack of physicality is becoming more glaring in a Premier League that is leaning more heavily than ever into duels, second balls and set pieces.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
The noodles, the cheese, the topping, the consistency—duels have been fought over less.

— Josh Miller, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of duels

Noun

According to the report, counties have responded with additional security and training on defusing confrontations, along with coordination with local law enforcement.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Watson told The Charlotte Observer the incident was the latest in a series of confrontations that raised concerns about the role of law enforcement at school board meetings.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of confrontations

Noun

Those contentions — and Bartell’s claim of a second list of 17,000 potential noncitizen voters — only add to an already heated debate about the scope of the inquiry and its legitimacy.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
To the extent these independent contentions were intended to imply that NBA rules permit teams, at the request of players, to initiate off-court income opportunities for players, that implication is incorrect.

— John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of contentions

Noun

Erik Prince and his private security teams were contracted by the US government during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, most remembered for Blackwater employees opening fire in Baghdad’s Nusoor Square, killing 17 Iraqi civilians.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
The march against wars and rising living costs began peacefully.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of wars

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rivaling

rivalries

rivalrous

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“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rivalries

noun

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