as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
Later, Harford had a recurring role as Hilda Gunnerson on sudser Dynasty, which followed the rivalries between two warring, oil-wealthy families, the Carringtons and the Colbys, in Denver, Colo.
—
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
The Buffalo Bills were left stunned in Miami on Sunday afternoon as the Dolphins blew them out 30-13 in a crucial AFC East rivalry game.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
The rivalry — named after the Great Bonfire Incident of 1963 — started in 1922.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
Few crosstown rivalries can compare to the one Hingham and Notre Dame Academy have developed the past few decades.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
The Buffalo Bills were left stunned in Miami on Sunday afternoon as the Dolphins blew them out 30-13 in a crucial AFC East rivalry game.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
The rivalry — named after the Great Bonfire Incident of 1963 — started in 1922.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025
Few crosstown rivalries can compare to the one Hingham and Notre Dame Academy have developed the past few decades.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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Starbucks has also come under intense competition from the surging popularity of tea drinks chains like Mixue Bingcheng, ChaGee and HeyTea.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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Several banks lowered their price targets following the earnings report, pointing to increasing competition from larger social platforms like Instagram and TikTok and concerns over macro headwinds.—
Jaures Yip,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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History buffs should head to Saratoga National Historic Park, which was the site of two pivotal Revolutionary War battles.—
Cat Sposato,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
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What began as a grassroots open-records request has now branched into a multifront legal battle.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The return from injury of Gravenberch, who won six of his eight duels, was another welcome sight, along with Alexis Mac Allister completing 90 minutes for Liverpool for the first time since April.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Much like the classic Tom Brady-Peyton Manning duels of old, the quarterback matchup between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen — the two current MVP frontrunners — is can’t-miss television.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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The historic build-up stands in stark contrast to the United States’ own supply struggles.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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As is often the case when Arsenal and Chelsea meet, this match had the potential to be one of those gloriously uninhibited conflicts.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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As for South Sudan, a senior United Nations official said earlier this week that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is causing destabilization in South Sudan, including armed clashes and food insecurity.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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European allies accuse Russia of waging a campaign of hybrid warfare against them, of which the disruptive airspace violations are a part, along with sabotage plots, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and more.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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Developed for the Swedish Navy and aligned with NATO interoperability standards, the A26 is engineered for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as long-range precision strikes and seabed warfare.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The confrontation, which played out on a livestream, quickly went viral and garnered the attention of pageant followers worldwide.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
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After all, the tension between these planets can stir up emotional confrontations, magnetic attractions and psychological power plays.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Eagles famously eliminated them from postseason contention last season en route to their Super Bowl LIX victory.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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But Pitts also pressed Hatton and Kashyap, on their contention that all detainees held at the San Francisco facility be certified as members of the lawsuit class regardless of how long they are held there.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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