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
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 rivals
Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The product launches demonstrate how Europe’s legacy manufacturers are taking the fight to their Chinese rivals, in a bid to both retain market share in the European Union and offset declining sales in China, the world’s largest car market.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Assaults by the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club are often committed in order to protect and expand territory, intimidate rivals, conceal members from law enforcement and advance extracurricular criminal projects, according to the 2024 indictment.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
During their Raw exchange, The Usos trash-talked their rivals, including Paul Heyman, who was also hospitalized from WWE's Clash in Paris.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Rate-cut expectations and worries over the Fed’s independence have weighed on the US dollar, which is languishing near a more than one-month low against its rivals, making gold less expensive for overseas buyers.
—CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
The price drop may induce its rivals, who have run into some of the same pricing issues, to follow.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Moreover, the four-cylinder engine on the base model is underpowered compared to its rivals, making just 250 hp, with the base BMW X5, to take one example, making 375 hp.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Kraft Heinz spent years slicing its costs while rivals invested in new ideas to keep up with changing consumer tastes.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Get a taste of it before the season arrives with a red cashmere sweater that rivals a Snapdragon’s brightness.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2025
Only his near contemporary, the American modernist poet Wallace Stevens (who survived into old age), who weirdly enough also was a lawyer for an insurance company, rivals Kafka in terms of the inverse proportion of literary originality and canonical significance to dullness of life story.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Staveley left her position as co-owner of Tottenham’s Premier League rivals Newcastle United in July 2024.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Yet Team Cherry, along with dozens of coders and others, working quietly and deliberately, has crafted something that rivals (and often surpasses) the work of those massive studios.
—Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
The Countryman, the largest of BMW’s British brand, rivals most compact SUVs for size.
—New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
And unlike Android rivals Samsung and Google, which have leaned into artificial intelligence on their smartphone software, Apple Intelligence is expected to take a back seat during Tuesday’s event, even as perceptions continue that the company lags in AI.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
While there’s no love triangle, The Long Walk treats its allegiances and enmities with a grandeur that rivals any romance, especially the connection between its hero, Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), and his friend Peter McVries (David Jonsson).
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
Over the last three years both Teck and Anglo have been takeover targets for their mining rivals, Australia’s BHP and Swiss-based Glencore.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The product launches demonstrate how Europe’s legacy manufacturers are taking the fight to their Chinese rivals, in a bid to both retain market share in the European Union and offset declining sales in China, the world’s largest car market.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Assaults by the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club are often committed in order to protect and expand territory, intimidate rivals, conceal members from law enforcement and advance extracurricular criminal projects, according to the 2024 indictment.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
During their Raw exchange, The Usos trash-talked their rivals, including Paul Heyman, who was also hospitalized from WWE's Clash in Paris.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Rate-cut expectations and worries over the Fed’s independence have weighed on the US dollar, which is languishing near a more than one-month low against its rivals, making gold less expensive for overseas buyers.
—CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
The price drop may induce its rivals, who have run into some of the same pricing issues, to follow.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Moreover, the four-cylinder engine on the base model is underpowered compared to its rivals, making just 250 hp, with the base BMW X5, to take one example, making 375 hp.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Kraft Heinz spent years slicing its costs while rivals invested in new ideas to keep up with changing consumer tastes.
—Alina Selyukh, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Being a fan is emotional for many, and the emotional return on sports ownership often rivals the financial one.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Get a taste of it before the season arrives with a red cashmere sweater that rivals a Snapdragon’s brightness.
—Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2025
Only his near contemporary, the American modernist poet Wallace Stevens (who survived into old age), who weirdly enough also was a lawyer for an insurance company, rivals Kafka in terms of the inverse proportion of literary originality and canonical significance to dullness of life story.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Staveley left her position as co-owner of Tottenham’s Premier League rivals Newcastle United in July 2024.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Yet Team Cherry, along with dozens of coders and others, working quietly and deliberately, has crafted something that rivals (and often surpasses) the work of those massive studios.
—Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
The Countryman, the largest of BMW’s British brand, rivals most compact SUVs for size.
—New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
And unlike Android rivals Samsung and Google, which have leaned into artificial intelligence on their smartphone software, Apple Intelligence is expected to take a back seat during Tuesday’s event, even as perceptions continue that the company lags in AI.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
While there’s no love triangle, The Long Walk treats its allegiances and enmities with a grandeur that rivals any romance, especially the connection between its hero, Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), and his friend Peter McVries (David Jonsson).
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivals
Noun
-
If not, how are Republicans any different from their Democratic counterparts?—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
They’re often given more responsibility in the classroom than their male counterparts.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Under captain Eric Brown, the GB&I team was even instructed not to help opponents search for lost balls.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Through two games, the Ragin’ Cajuns have held opponents to an average of 12 points per game — a mark that’s tied for the best in the Sun Belt.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the case of merchant AI chips, that's Nvidia thanks in large part to a massive software ecosystem that serves as a competitive moat against other competitors like AMD.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The company was losing bids because their competitors weren’t including that low-value, unwanted work in their quotes.—
Adam Coffey,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Pacific Coast Harmony also competes against other groups in the region and most recently successfully defended its Eastern Division Chorus title in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Far Western District.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Many of those carriers have big global networks to serve customers, as well as a basic economy, no-frills product that competes with Spirit and other low-cost airlines.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The International Energy Agency has reported that two-thirds of fully electric cars in China are now cheaper to buy than their gasoline equivalents.—
Jack Barkenbus,
The Conversation,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Americans live shorter lives than their European equivalents, McClatchy News reported in April, but the trend of stagnant life expectancy appears to be afflicting European nations the same, according to the study.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Green Bay went 1-5 against divisional foes in 2005, though, and Sherman was fired one day after the season ended.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All four of its losses came to Detroit and the Rams, a pair of excellent foes.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Yet Harris lingers near the top of the 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in most polling because the party lacks viable alternatives with comparable name identification.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
With seven races remaining in the Xfinity Series season, Eckes is ready to play spoiler and steal a victory from one of the playoff contenders.—
Joseph Wolkin,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And as the country races toward an election, politics and contemporary issues will also be front and center.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
-
As the world races to decarbonize, clean energy storage is becoming the central challenge.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rivals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivals. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share