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
From legendary investors to rising disruptors, host Maneet Ahuja unpacks the convictions, rivalries and bold ideas driving today’s markets and tomorrow’s economy.
—
Maneet Ahuja, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
While the two keep drinking and wait for a rare lunar event, old grievances, outrageous escapades, and macho rivalries explode to the surface.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Kingsbury and Linda Parisi, representing Martin, argued that the erosion of traditional Sacramento rivalries had even led Harris to lament the days when battle lines were more clearly drawn.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
One person invoked the sporting rivalries of the Cold War as a reminder of soccer’s capacity to transcend conflict, yet acknowledged that the wounds of the January protests remained too raw for many in the diaspora to set aside.
—Shirvin Zeinalzadeh, The Conversation, 11 June 2026
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Wealth, security, and power gradually erode solidarity, and internal rivalries begin to emerge.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 11 June 2026
But although French football can boast several intense rivalries — most notably the one that exists between PSG and Marseille, the country’s two most popular clubs — games featuring the national team tend to be more sedate affairs.
—Tom Williams, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Berlin/ParisReuters — The leaders of Germany and France have agreed to scrap a landmark project to develop and build a new-generation fighter jet, officials said on Monday, bowing to industrial rivalries over Europe’s most ambitious defense program.
—CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Maneet Ahuja, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
While the two keep drinking and wait for a rare lunar event, old grievances, outrageous escapades, and macho rivalries explode to the surface.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Kingsbury and Linda Parisi, representing Martin, argued that the erosion of traditional Sacramento rivalries had even led Harris to lament the days when battle lines were more clearly drawn.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
One person invoked the sporting rivalries of the Cold War as a reminder of soccer’s capacity to transcend conflict, yet acknowledged that the wounds of the January protests remained too raw for many in the diaspora to set aside.
—Shirvin Zeinalzadeh, The Conversation, 11 June 2026
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history, and now the pair are opening up about the friendship that followed off the court in a new documentary that revisits their years at the top of women's tennis.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Wealth, security, and power gradually erode solidarity, and internal rivalries begin to emerge.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 11 June 2026
But although French football can boast several intense rivalries — most notably the one that exists between PSG and Marseille, the country’s two most popular clubs — games featuring the national team tend to be more sedate affairs.
—Tom Williams, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Berlin/ParisReuters — The leaders of Germany and France have agreed to scrap a landmark project to develop and build a new-generation fighter jet, officials said on Monday, bowing to industrial rivalries over Europe’s most ambitious defense program.
—CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalries
Noun
-
Informal Beyblade battles are popping up in strangest of places, with players huddling in parks, gyms and shopping malls.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
-
Unlike in Jalisco or Michoacán, spectacular gun battles are hardly ever seen in Colima.—
Daniel Hernandez,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2026
Noun
-
Clients should understand whether the advisor is legally obligated to put their interests first, how conflicts are disclosed and whether recommendations are shaped by commissions, proprietary products or outside incentives.—
Bob Chitrathorn,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
These conflicts raged on through the pandemic, when the country was generally going insane, and in 2022, when President Joe Biden exercised his right to appoint a new chair, Rios took what was in effect a thankless cleanup job.—
Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
Prices of essential goods have soared and many people have lost their jobs, with millions now at risk of falling into poverty amid widespread economic struggles.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
-
Not by putting anyone on blast and not by outing anyone’s struggles, but by keeping the burden of truth squarely on my shoulders.—
Ali Lerman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Last season, the data from his Premier League performances places him in the 90th percentile or above (10 per cent or fewer performed better than him) for progressive carries, carries into the opposition’s final third, chances created from attacking set-pieces, aerial duels won and blocked shots.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
LaBonta completed 23 of 29 passes from the middle of the park, put in four tackles, made two interceptions and two ball recoveries, and won five of her eight duels with players, all while avoiding committing a single foul.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Community leaders and Democratic lawmakers have railed against the practice, which has led to dramatic confrontations in the hallways outside courtrooms.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
-
The demonstrations have unleashed violent confrontations between dynamite-wielding demonstrators and riot police, leading to at least 365 arrests and 37 injuries, according to authorities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Measles has spread as a result of travel to international sports competitions before.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Master Mini, approximately one meter tall, is designed for education and robotic sports competitions, while Nova, standing about 50 centimeters tall, is intended as an entry-level educational and companion robot for children.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
At the time, Sackler offered no response to these contentions.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
-
Nowhere is this reconciliation more evident than in the enduring contentions surrounding France’s Pacific territory of New Caledonia, also known as Kanak by its native community.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
One consequence of the ensuing wars was the emergence of a new, anti-sectarian, pacifist element in Dutch religious life.—
Clare Bucknell,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
-
While drones have introduced groundbreaking changes to how wars are fought on earth, the ability to wield them alongside other weapons largely depends on reach from space.—
Zita Ballinger Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalries. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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