rivals 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rivalsnext
plural of rival
1
as in counterparts
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
as in opponents
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict the boxer's toughest rival thus far

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in competitors
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

rivals

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rival
as in competes
to engage in a contest two longtime friends who have rivaled for the same things at every stage of their lives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivals
  1. counterparts
  2. opponents
  3. competitors
  4. competes
  5. foes
  6. contenders
  7. contestants
  8. contends
Noun
  • Having women athletes featured alongside their men counterparts helps normalize their presence in the sports industry and provides young players with diverse role models.
    Lindsey Darvin, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Historically, Black business owners have had to contend with higher borrowing costs and limited access to credit compared to their white counterparts.
    Tiffany Callender, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of counterparts
Noun
  • Alabama complaining about having to schedule easier nonconference opponents in the future for a better shot at making the College Football Playoff is quite amusing.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Richards, who is in his 50s, bested more than 145 opponents from across the world, including Argentina, Venezuela, Spain and Colombia, winning 22 consecutive matches, the Federación Internacional de Léxico en Español said on Instagram.
    Lex Harvey, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of opponents
Noun
  • The companies argued that their top competitors were not conventional supermarkets but food behemoths like Walmart, Costco, Amazon and even dollar stores.
    Alina Selyukh, NPR, 11 Dec. 2024
  • These developments suggest that while NVIDIA has been instrumental in advancing AI hardware, its position is increasingly challenged by both regulatory pressures and emerging competitors.
    Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of competitors
Verb
  • Amazon’s Project Kuiper also competes with SpaceX’s Starlink in the low-orbit satellite system industry.
    Clare Duffy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
  • His wife, Leah Pruett, competes in Top Fuel, and Matt Hagan represents the team in the Funny Car division.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of competes
Noun
  • In the eight years since Season 3, Happy Valley has rapidly expanded its footprint on Mars by turning former foes into partners.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
  • The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, divisional foes of the Yankees, remain in the mix as well.
    Scott Thompson, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of foes
Noun
  • With more contenders and a smaller voting pool, this can occasionally lead to ties — which has provided some wonderful moments.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
  • To qualify for the Slamdance honor, contenders could not have made their world premieres at Sundance, SXSW, or Telluride.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of contenders
Noun
  • In a rare double-down, Bublé was also the only coach to have two contestants make it into the top five, as well as boasting the top two finishers thanks to his other contestant, Shye, coming in as runner-up.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The rest of the contestants and the coaches reacted joyfully, including Stefani, who could be seen twirling in a gown.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of contestants
Verb
  • Ver contends that the expatriation exit tax regime oversteps due process protections by being overly punitive, vague, and burdensome.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
  • The decision delays essential services for a vulnerable population, LMM contends.
    Sam Allard, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of contends
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near rivals

rivalry

rivals

rive

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Cite this Entry

“Rivals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivals. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rivals

Nglish: Translation of rivals for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of rivals for Arabic Speakers

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