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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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 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
-
The dynamic Sun in your 9th House of Exploration quincunxes powerful Pluto in your 4th House of Home, so growth calls while roots demand attention.
-
That dynamic helps explain why date nights remain a staple of practical relationship advice.
Adjective
-
Conservative activists cost Republicans some competitive Senate seats — the GOP didn’t win control of the upper chamber until nearly halfway through Barack Obama’s second term — but helped win the House and stayed embedded in their deep-red districts.
-
This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.
Adjective
-
The government says the land is privately owned, but rival claims over its privatization have emerged.
-
After months of uncertainty, two dignitaries from rival lands have come forward to press their claims.
Adjective
-
Similarly, the lively Doyles Irish Pub serves classic pub fare such as wings, a Reuben sandwich, and fish and chips.
-
In the evening, Banff’s newest late-night spot, The Dusty Boot Saloon, channels cowboy country motifs through nostalgic saloon energy and a lively dance hall, stage for live music and hidden lounges.
Adjective
-
It was held just 22 years after the Great Chicago Fire devastated the city, but Chicago was determined to dominate the world stage.
-
There was an element of cynicism, but not on the part of determined prosecutors who overcame obstacles and brought the case to guilty pleas by three defendants and the conviction on 21 counts of the public official who ignited the scandal.
Cite this Entry
“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalrous. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
