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
-
Renewables require a more dynamic grid, more energy storage, and a wider range of power sources to compensate for their intermittency.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
-
This week, Metro is set to unveil the first part of a nine-mile subway under Wilshire, one of the most dynamic and traffic-clogged stretches of Los Angeles.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Outside the venue, the earlier rally led by former NCAA athlete Sophia Lorey focused on fairness and competitive balance in girls’ sports.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
But there are some important factors that could lower their ceiling, namely depressed enthusiasm with some key groups, the fact that there are fewer competitive districts than ever before and the state of the redistricting battle.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Los Ardillos, fighting rival cartels for territorial control in Guerrero state, has been blamed for 76 deaths and 25 disappearances in the region in recent years.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
Nvidia may be the leader in building AI chips, but Alphabet has a rival product that’s gaining favor.—
Ryan Vlastelica,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Tollgate, a pub frequented by hundreds of United supporters on matchdays, is lively even two and a half hours before kick-off.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
That was until this Dutch upstart with his European aesthetic, lively and colorful stores and eye-popping marketing campaigns began to chisel away at their market share.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Barker speaks of his family with obvious pride, and seems determined to bring them along as his star rises.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Lamborghini itself has confirmed that its first fully electric model will arrive later this decade, but the company appears determined to keep combustion engines alive in its flagship supercars for as long as regulations permit.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalrous. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
