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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The humanoid demonstrated highly dynamic parkour skills upon being trained using the framework.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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The exhibition reimagines graffiti as a dynamic cultural force and blends two and three-dimensional works together.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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HostArmada is an excellent web host for individual creators and small businesses looking for competitive plans that won't break the bank.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
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Student in highly competitive high school learns that focusing on arts plus taking only one AP class equals an object of ridicule.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Yet, after Saturday’s regular-season finale, a 76-61 rout of rival North Carolina, that’s no longer the case for Jon Scheyer’s team.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Archbishop Williams shut out rival Bishop Feehan 5-0.—
Zach McMahon,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The steak was soft on the inside and as crunchy as the herb-flecked fries on the out, and the buttery Dijon spread ringing the plate added a lively dimension.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
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This is one of our liveliest, a recipe packed with fresh berries and savory bacon, making for an ideal flavor balance.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Dengler endured endless torture and other miseries — escaping from prison was just the beginning of his ordeal in the jungle — but Bale plays him as a determined optimist, an indomitable spirit that cannot be crushed.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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We are both disciplined, determined and accomplished men.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalrous. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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