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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Unlike dynamic stretching, static stretching holds muscles in a lengthened position for an extended period.
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However, beginning in the late 1950s, advancing spacecraft technology allowed scientists to study planets, moons and smaller bodies up close, revealing worlds far more diverse and dynamic than could be seen through telescopes alone.
Adjective
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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.
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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
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The government says the land is privately owned, but rival claims over its privatization have emerged.
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After months of uncertainty, two dignitaries from rival lands have come forward to press their claims.
Adjective
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Vibrant banners will fill the land alongside lively Spanish music.
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On East Passyunk Avenue, Supérette is a lively French wine bar, market and bottle shop where rosé and pastis are enjoyed with snacks like duck prosciutto and raclette sandwiches.
Adjective
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All etched into the face of a man who spent his presidency fighting to hold together a nation that seemed determined to tear itself apart.
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Well, Ariana seems to remember, whereas Hudson is determined to just undo the breakup and pretend like none of it ever happened.
Cite this Entry
“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalrous. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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