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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
There’s also the simmering rivalry between Europe’s top two fashion cities.
—
Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
That isn't because of any poignant rivalry with a team, player, or another coach.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
At its core, the rivalry is also about who will shape the future of AI.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
So, the best rivalry in sports predictably took hockey back to the 1970s once the Panthers fell behind 4-0.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
That isn't because of any poignant rivalry with a team, player, or another coach.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
At its core, the rivalry is also about who will shape the future of AI.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
So, the best rivalry in sports predictably took hockey back to the 1970s once the Panthers fell behind 4-0.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
-
Khelif has appealed the new policy that will keep the athlete out of any competitions pending the results of genetic testing.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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During the second annual competition in October, the team from La Marmotte restaurant, also located downtown, won with a concoction of Nikka Vodka, Luxardo Espresso liqueur, Irish cream, and Count Chocula and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereals.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The star of the cache was a near-complete Iron Age battle trumpet, or carnyx — used to blare eerie sounds in battle and rally troops against the enemy.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Alain Hamel is credited with catching the giant flatfish, which was pulled through the ice after a two-and-a-half hour battle.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Belgium international has started to utilise his physical traits, increasingly aggressive in duels and more willing to dominate his opponent.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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One of the most exciting playoff games in recent memory — a quarterback duel between Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes — ended abruptly in a 42-36 Chiefs win when Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce on an eight-yard touchdown pass.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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If Grosz’s first book, The Examined Life, was all about his patients’ personal lives and struggles, Love’s Labor—which is written in a similar way, as a series of case studies—is much more interested in his patients’ approach to love, specifically.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
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Continue reading … ROYAL RECKONING – Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie struggle with fallout from latest Epstein doc drop.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Warren saw that the conflict in the region between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army left local children with little to do.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In simple terms, space warfare is about controlling, or disrupting, the satellites and space systems modern militaries rely on every day.—
Emma Withrow,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
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But the real stars of the film were the pilots who did the movie’s aerial warfare scenes.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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The columnists argue that voters want a governor focused on state-level problem-solving rather than someone using the office as a platform for national positioning or raising their profile through constant partisan confrontation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Tuesday hearing is an interlude in a longer hearing that began last November over the LA Alliance’s contention that the city repeatedly failed to comply with the 2022 settlement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Johnson opened the competition with the fastest downhill time, which put the duo in strong contention for a medal.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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