duel

1 of 2

noun

du·​el ˈdü-əl 

 also  ˈdyü-

1

: a combat between two persons

specifically : a formal combat with weapons fought between two persons in the presence of witnesses

2

: a conflict between antagonistic persons, ideas, or forces

also : a hard-fought contest between two opponents

duel

2 of 2

verb

dueled or duelled; dueling or duelling

intransitive verb

: to fight a duel

transitive verb

: to encounter (an opponent) in a duel

dueler noun

or dueller

duelist noun

or duellist

ˈd(y)ü-ə-list 

Synonyms

Noun

• ball game
• battle
• combat
• competition
• conflict
• confrontation
• contention
• contest
• dogfight
• face-off
• grapple
• match
• rivalry
• strife
• struggle
• sweepstakes
• sweep-stake
• tug-of-war
• war
• warfare

Examples of duel in a Sentence

Noun

They engaged in a duel of wits.

a duel for the title of captain of the team

Verb

He accepted the challenge to duel.

Legislators dueled over the tax increases.

The two runners dueled for the lead.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And More Ahead Of Final Two Episodes Rio still wants one of them, which spells a duel brewing. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024

Many here see the current Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup as a throwback to the teams’ last postseason showdown — the memorable 1981 duel, during peak Fernandomania, in which a gritty Valenzuela led the Dodgers back from a two-game deficit to take out New York. —Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024

Verb

In a game of dueling masterpieces from Nikola Jokic and Kyrie Irving, neither of them dealt the decisive blow. —Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024

Related Articles Three charged in Argentina in connection with Liam Payne’s death Controversial Australian Olympic breaker retires from competition Chigvintsev was released on bail several hours after his arrest, and the estranged couple filed dueling requests for restraining orders. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Medieval Latin duellum, from Old Latin, war

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

duel

1 of 2 noun

du·​el ˈd(y)ü-əl 

1

: a combat between two persons

especially : one fought with weapons in the presence of witnesses

2

: a conflict between two opponents

duel

2 of 2 verb

dueled or duelled; dueling or duelling

: to fight in a duel

dueler noun

or dueller

duelist noun

or duellist

ˈd(y)ü-ə-ləst 

Etymology

Noun

from Latin duellum "duel," from an archaic form of earlier bellum "war"; revived in the Middle Ages to mean combat between two persons because the du- suggested Latin duo "two"