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
Listening felt like being pulled into side chats with lots of different characters who were at precisely the right level of intoxication to reveal something interesting to you—crushes, anxieties, rivalries.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Lucas was also an assistant coach with Kentucky and Duke — teams that have big in-state rivalries with Louisville and North Carolina, respectively.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Old rivalries—between the North and the South of England, between Madrid and Barcelona, between districts of London—persist, regardless of who happens to be wearing the colors.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
The region is home to four major clubs — Corinthians, Palmeiras, Sao Paulo and, out towards the coast, Santos — with fierce rivalries between them.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
The interaction quickly became a visual symbol of the deep rivalries in the AI industry, particularly between OpenAI and Anthropic, though Altman sought to brush off any deeper meaning.
—Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sports media landscape often dominated by contract disputes and on-field rivalries, the Garrett-Kim interview resonated as something refreshingly heartfelt — and the poem, a four-line verse touching on the themes Garrett says occupy his mind most, struck the deepest chord.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
In Fischer’s telling, the creative and business sides are interwoven and inseparable from each other and from the personal relationships — their friendships and rivalries with each other but also their relationships with those who worked for them or loved them.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sport historically defined by fierce rivalries and intense behind-the-scenes competition, three athletes who could be battling each other for the same prize have instead chosen friendship.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Lucas was also an assistant coach with Kentucky and Duke — teams that have big in-state rivalries with Louisville and North Carolina, respectively.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Old rivalries—between the North and the South of England, between Madrid and Barcelona, between districts of London—persist, regardless of who happens to be wearing the colors.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
The region is home to four major clubs — Corinthians, Palmeiras, Sao Paulo and, out towards the coast, Santos — with fierce rivalries between them.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
The interaction quickly became a visual symbol of the deep rivalries in the AI industry, particularly between OpenAI and Anthropic, though Altman sought to brush off any deeper meaning.
—Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sports media landscape often dominated by contract disputes and on-field rivalries, the Garrett-Kim interview resonated as something refreshingly heartfelt — and the poem, a four-line verse touching on the themes Garrett says occupy his mind most, struck the deepest chord.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
In Fischer’s telling, the creative and business sides are interwoven and inseparable from each other and from the personal relationships — their friendships and rivalries with each other but also their relationships with those who worked for them or loved them.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
In a sport historically defined by fierce rivalries and intense behind-the-scenes competition, three athletes who could be battling each other for the same prize have instead chosen friendship.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
-
The opening of Acorn Ridge Casino follows two decades of delays and legal battles regarding land, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The battles took place in modern-day Israel, Turkey, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rapid Rehousing also teaches students about managing personal finances, understanding lease agreements, handling roommate conflicts, and planning for housing after graduation.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
-
As the play weaves through time, the focuses on the actions done for the benefit of Joe’s family, and his wife Kate’s moral compass, creating brutal conflicts.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The idea is to catch reading struggles early on and guide parents on how to help their kids.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Real estate struggles and the property’s primary lender going through bankruptcy thrust the hotel into its first complicated foreclosure in October 2010.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Bernal would also provide a more physical presence in duels.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Physical, mobile defender who excels in 1v1 duels and recovery defending.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The tension also spilled into his confrontations with the judicial branch.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli military’s Home Front Command to prepare itself for possible confrontations with the Islamic Republic, which officials anticipate could be initiated at any time.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In their past 15 meetings in all competitions since January 2020, Chelsea have won just once.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Pink proposed to Carey Hart at one of his competitions.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
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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
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Although fertility trends are notoriously hard to predict, and baby booms are often seen after wars end, Ippolitova said the country's low fertility rate could still trouble the Ukrainian economy in the future.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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To capitalize on this yearning for tradition, and to bind sumo’s fortunes to the state, the sport’s governing body aligned itself with the rising tide of nationalism that took hold of Japan after its victories in wars against the Chinese and the Russians.—
Joshua Hunt,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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