as in dynamic
having or marked by a strong desire to win or be better than others
The two siblings shared a rivalrous but ultimately loving relationship.
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Recent Examples of rivalrous
This Trump Doctrine emphasizes using American power aggressively — more aggressively than Trump’s immediate predecessors — to reshape key relationships and accrue U.S. advantage in a rivalrous world.
—
Hal Brands, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
The sisters were long involved in a rivalrous feud.
—Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
In Trump’s first term, that insight helped the United States begin a messy adjustment to the realities of a rivalrous age.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Ricardo divided society into three rivalrous classes—landlords, capitalists, and workers—and showed how the landlords were able to take the lion’s share of the economic surplus by virtue of owning, and charging rent on, a scarce and valuable resource: land.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rivalrous
Hal Brands, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
The sisters were long involved in a rivalrous feud.
—Lydia Price, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
In Trump’s first term, that insight helped the United States begin a messy adjustment to the realities of a rivalrous age.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Ricardo divided society into three rivalrous classes—landlords, capitalists, and workers—and showed how the landlords were able to take the lion’s share of the economic surplus by virtue of owning, and charging rent on, a scarce and valuable resource: land.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rivalrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalrous
Adjective
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Mike and Pam aren’t the only dynamic duo at CinemaCon anymore.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
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There’s a strange dynamic emerging around artificial intelligence.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the competitive landscape, the model is expected to go head-to-head with rivals such as the Geely Galaxy M9, a large plug-in hybrid SUV that has already demonstrated strong early market traction with more than 11,000 deliveries in just the first two months of the year.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
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But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Apple’s next new product line after the MacBook Neo could be smart glasses that rival Meta Ray-Ban glasses.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
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Fighting in recent years between the army and a rival paramilitary faction was so bloody that many corpses were left on the streets.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But in addition to Cajun, Creole, and soul food institutions, the city continues to welcome new spots serving inventive contemporary Mexican, West African, and Indian cuisines—all which play into the diverse, lively vibe of New Orleans.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
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Illuminated by fairy lights, the market is small but lively and features several stalls where vendors offer everything from spring rolls, seafood, and meats grilled before your eyes to cocktails, fresh fruit, and desserts.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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It was later determined that the baby did not die in his sleep, as the Florida parents claimed.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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Despite reports of Fox’s Baywatch reboot being pushed out of Venice Beach, local officials are determined to keep production in Los Angeles County.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalrous. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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