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
Heated Rivalry stars Williams and Connor Storrie as a pair of professional ice hockey players whose fierce sporting rivalry masks a secret desire between them, which later develops into a joyful relationship.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
There is rivalry for attention and love in most families.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
It was billed as some kind of rivalry between Anna and Jack, with each suspecting that the other was behind the murders, but this was never really the case.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The 2024 season had six on-campus games and four games against SEC teams, including rivalry games against Texas and LSU.
—Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
There is rivalry for attention and love in most families.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
It was billed as some kind of rivalry between Anna and Jack, with each suspecting that the other was behind the murders, but this was never really the case.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The 2024 season had six on-campus games and four games against SEC teams, including rivalry games against Texas and LSU.
—Matt Jones, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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Microsoft is a large investor in OpenAI, but there’s growing competition in the AI space, especially from Google’s Gemini.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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Uhlaender, a five-time Olympian, was hoping to qualify for her sixth Winter Games, but lost the chance before competition even began in Lake Placid due to Canada's withdrawals.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a city where detentions have largely played out on the streets, Homan’s comments have highlighted a battle that has been unfolding in the background.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The exercise of power, not surprisingly, contributed to the restlessness of a busy mind that waged battles against a committed opposition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
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Darnold endured more growing pains during his rookie season but also showed flashes of excellence, including throwing three touchdown passes in a duel with Aaron Rodgers during an overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Hyland, who’d been a revelation prior to his recent struggles, regained form in the win.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2026
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Unlearn that struggle equals success.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Experts say several factors have driven the sharp rise over the past year, including persistent concerns about inflation, ongoing global conflicts, and the possibility of interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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This was in direct conflict with the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Storylines like this, in our age of escalating eat-the-rich sentiment, allow viewers to vicariously enjoy beautiful homes and high-maintenance bodies while also fantasizing about (or, for more comfortable audiences, safely exploring fears of) class warfare.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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Optimized for long endurance missions with containerized payload integration, including electronic warfare, fires, C-C5ISRT (Counter-Command, Control, Computing, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting) and contested logistics.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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On these blocks, darkened by the presence of heavily armed federal agents, Minnesotans describe routine movements as calculated risks, unsure which block might erupt into confrontation.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
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No leader can survive a confrontation with the president without a unified board.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Lloyd’s building is strong evidence for Alan Moore’s contention that the imaginary is the foundation of the physical world.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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McNealy finished second to Ludvig Åberg at the 2025 Genesis Invitational, coincidentally held at Torrey Pines—after a closing-round 64 vaulted him firmly into contention.—
Jeff Goudy,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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