rival 1 of 3

1
as in equivalent
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value a design that is a rival to any produced by a professional graphic artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in competitor
one who strives for the same thing as another the four cities that are the top rivals for the site of the next Olympic Games

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rival

2 of 3

adjective

rival

3 of 3

verb

as in to compete
to engage in a contest two longtime friends who have rivaled for the same things at every stage of their lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rival
Noun
Apparently, Eric Musselman (not unlike his crosstown rival) has never heard of Harry Truman’s aphorism about where the buck stops. Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025 According to Kurth, in an attempt to get rid of his rivals, Hitler promptly expelled Thompson from Nazi Germany in the summer of 1934. Mycah Hazel, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Even though Bellmore-Merrick made the decision to voluntarily suspend the Kennedy player involved in the altercation, parents from Elmont have clearly seen enough to ask to never see schools from their rival district, including middle schools, on their athletic schedules. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025 Walmart inked an exclusive deal with rival Klarna for buy now, pay later loans. Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
The aim of the project is to build a high-speed railway that carries 40-ft (12.2-m) shipping containers in a partial vacuum tube at speeds rivaling that of flight. Joe Salas, New Atlas, 14 Mar. 2025 Our editors named this formula a One to Watch inductee for its redness-reducing color and invisible finish that could rival that of a chemical sunscreen (without the chemical filters, of course). Sarah Han, Allure, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
  • Regardless of who an opponent tries to take away, the other receiver should have a very favorable matchup.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The defensive interior could not cause problems for either opponent.
    Steve Silverman, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In fact, research shows that companies putting talent at the heart of their business strategy achieve higher total shareholder returns than their competitors.
    Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The event, which included more than 90 competitors from sixth to eighth grade, brought together students from public and independent schools countywide at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA in San Diego.
    Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But considering that many global citizens remain unbanked or underbanked, this technology could be more complementary than competitive with traditional banking in the medium term.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • He and another competitive snowboarder were named in a search warrant for a house in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, that was investigated for growing large quantities of marijuana, according to The Vancouver Sun.
    Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Their reign came to an end on a late February episode of Raw, where they were defeated by Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Despite losing the titles, both Belair and Naomi competed in the Women's Elimination Chamber match in Toronto.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Manchester City compete for the lowest, just ahead of Liverpool.
    Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • To address potential risks of unauthorized alterations, the FDA implemented 21 CFR Part 11 in March 1997, establishing that electronic records and signatures must be as secure and tamper-resistant as their paper counterparts.
    Christopher Petersen, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • His counterpart, John Calipari, whose high-profile move from Kentucky to Arkansas was among the sport’s biggest news stories last spring, has one national title of his own and six Final Four appearances spread across three schools: UMass, Memphis and Kentucky.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The two geriatric foes square-off nightly for a game of cat-and-mouse that involves Crealy using Jenny — both as a mask to deflect the suspicion of the nursing staff and as an instrument of torture with the Judge.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
  • And just like that, Love’s vanquished foe found a new lease of life.
    Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Both should be Final Four favorites and national title contenders.
    Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
  • As a digital balloting closed earlier Sunday, Carney received the overwhelming majority of the 150,000 members of the Liberal Party than any other contender in the short leadership battle.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Employees sometimes resent being affiliated with the larger department because of its sprawling, competing and sometimes politically charged activities.
    Frank J. Cilluffo, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Having an affordable and competing way to watch movies at home has changed some moviegoers’ habits.
    Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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