as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
College athletics mirrors this dynamic through intense rivalries not just on the field but in recruitment, conference realignment, and media markets.
—
Jim Martin, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
The Challenge veterans may be facing an onslaught of New Threats this season, but some things — including many of the cast’s unrelenting rivalries — may never change.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Aug. 2025
Trump's hardline trade stance, however, risks straining the delicate U.S.-India defense relationship, which has blossomed in recent years in a sign of India's geostrategic importance to the United States amid its rivalry with China.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Due to their ensuing real-life and fictional rivalry to reach the top of the WWE pinnacle, there was still some bad blood between Punk and Triple H as the latter moved into an executive position.
—Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Jim Martin, Denver Post, 3 Aug. 2025
The Challenge veterans may be facing an onslaught of New Threats this season, but some things — including many of the cast’s unrelenting rivalries — may never change.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Aug. 2025
Trump's hardline trade stance, however, risks straining the delicate U.S.-India defense relationship, which has blossomed in recent years in a sign of India's geostrategic importance to the United States amid its rivalry with China.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Due to their ensuing real-life and fictional rivalry to reach the top of the WWE pinnacle, there was still some bad blood between Punk and Triple H as the latter moved into an executive position.
—Skyler Trepel, People.com, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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For the first time in decades, traditional sports face real competition for the next generation of fans, many of whom are trading physical arenas for virtual ones.—
Jennifer Acree,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The main competition strand, officially known as The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, includes 10 world premiere titles.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to jail Beto O'Rourke, claiming the former Democratic congressman violated a court order by fundraising to support the dozens of state Democratic lawmakers who have fled the state amid its redistricting battle.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
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The Defense Department has awarded BAE Systems’ shipyard in San Diego a $64.1 million contract for repairs, maintenance and upgrades on the USS O’Kane, a Burke-class destroyer that helped protect the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier battle group during a long deployment that ended in February.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While event data usually collects tackles and duels, that’s just players being aggressive, but the art of defending is around positioning and anticipating play — not interventions.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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But the Twins didn’t get the call, dropping a game that had been a pitchers’ duel between starters Chris Paddack and Tyler Glasnow, who each allowed a solo home run — Paddack to Ohtani and Glasnow to Royce Lewis — but nothing else in their efforts.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Neal has been inconsistent and has had some health struggles.—
Brett Appley,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
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Having high profile people who presumably have access to resources talk about their struggles also is a reminder that these issues are hard for everyone.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a lot of just creating conflict in stories.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
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This is because subjective progress interpretations cause conflict.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Busby makes not a single allusion, nor even a hint, at the wholesale destruction, misery and pain of not hundreds, but thousands of African-American families attributable to Hoover’s vicious stranglehold on the city’s South and West sides in the name of drug warfare for untold years.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
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But even in the face of evolving modes of warfare, airpower’s inherent advantages endure.—
DAVID A. DEPTULA,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Continuation of the war would mean more of Europe's time, money, and military aid is needed to support Ukraine, and threatens to lead to a direct NATO-Russia confrontation on the continent, with potentially catastrophic consequences.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Exactly what led to the couple’s confrontation is a question with which friends of the couple — who shared three children, now all under the age of 13 — are still grappling.—
Johnny Dodd,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Well, perhaps the first portion that says acceptance of general or broad terms won’t let that contention fly by.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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After escaping there to stay even, seven birdies followed in a barnstorming, crowd-pleasing rush which pulled Hull into contention.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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