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
Pippen, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, is now crossing one of college sports’ biggest rivalries to join Ohio State, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
—
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
What begins as a shocking revelation ignites a fierce father-son rivalry fueled by power, ambition and betrayal — with the global arms trade hanging in the balance.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2026
The Grammy-winning rapper and her lawyers say some of the references in Kebe’s social media posts involved Almánzar’s ex-boyfriend Stefon Diggs, while others referenced her alleged rivalry with Nicki Minaj.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
And the Grate One in Lu Dort, the willing villain in this budding rivalry.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
What begins as a shocking revelation ignites a fierce father-son rivalry fueled by power, ambition and betrayal — with the global arms trade hanging in the balance.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2026
The Grammy-winning rapper and her lawyers say some of the references in Kebe’s social media posts involved Almánzar’s ex-boyfriend Stefon Diggs, while others referenced her alleged rivalry with Nicki Minaj.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
And the Grate One in Lu Dort, the willing villain in this budding rivalry.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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That’s also the trademark of Courtney (Balenciaga) Washington, a choreographer from the worlds of competition dance and vogue ballrooms.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Experts said its demise was not about competition but more about the company’s poor financial decisions, according to a Bloomberg report.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Avoid ego battles with parents and bosses.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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Find out for yourself with its chaotic four-on-four battles.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After Jordan Romano blew two save opportunities against the Yankees, right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn gave up two runs in the eighth that ended a scoreless duel.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
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There seems to be a mutual respect between the two sides, who are often complimentary of one another during and after their duels.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There have been struggles in her first full season at Chelsea but Wiegman trusts her enormously, handing her the captain’s armband in Williamson’s absence for her 100th cap in the 1-0 win over Spain.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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In recent years, Congress has shielded wildfire settlements from taxes, but legislation to do so was short-lived and a struggle to pass, leaving gaps between laws that risk saddling some survivors with a possible tax burden on their compensation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sharp rebound has surprised some market watchers because the conflict remains unresolved and a fragile ceasefire faces looming deadlines.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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The price has dropped a bit in recent days amid optimism about a permanent resolution to the conflict but remains much higher than when the war began.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Also, American defense technology company Anduril Industries just announced a strategic partnership with the Ukrainian drone detection and electronic warfare firm Kara Dag Technologies.—
Trudy Rubin,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Sue Halpern assesses the current threat of digital warfare and how the Administration may have weakened American defenses.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The confrontation has raised fears of further escalation in a waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.—
Gemma Fox,
Time,
19 Apr. 2026
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Video circulating on social media appears to show a confrontation before the shooting that seemed to involve a large group of people.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But flash forward a year, and the movie didn’t garner much awards contention and got a limited theatrical run before ending up on Hulu.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita reemphasized the contention that the measure is needed to prevent fraud.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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