grudge match

noun

: a contest or fight between players, teams, etc., who dislike each other
The race had turned into a grudge match between the two teams.

Examples of grudge match in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The grudge match between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn is nearly upon us. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Jade Cargill beat Naomi in a very entertaining grudge match that made WrestleMania women’s history. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Wednesday night gives us a grudge match worth watching, and a sliding-doors moment to bask in and nerd out. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Both sides look set to sail through qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026, but that won’t spoil the spectacle of an outright grudge match that both sides will be desperate to win. Sam Tighe, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025 Texas Republicans said Paxton seems likely to enter the race in what could become a grudge match between two candidates representing opposing wings of the party. Jared Gans, The Hill, 2 Feb. 2025 Zayn’s best bet at getting on the WrestleMania card might be a non-wrestling role in the grudge match between Owens and Randy Orton. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 By Gal Beckerman One of the stranger moments among many in yesterday’s White House presser turned grudge match with Volodymyr Zelensky was a query about the Ukrainian president’s outfit. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025 Edwards has taken his time returning to the Octagon since losing his title to Belal Muhammad in another grudge match in July. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Grudge match.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grudge%20match. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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