rivalrous

adjective

ri·​val·​rous ˈrī-vəl-rəs How to pronounce rivalrous (audio)
: given to rivalry : competitive

Examples of rivalrous 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.
Ricardo divided society into three rivalrous classes—landlords, capitalists, and workers—and showed how the landlords were able to take the lion’s share of the economic surplus by virtue of owning, and charging rent on, a scarce and valuable resource: land. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024 Instead, Civil War focuses intently on the knotty dynamic (sometimes familial, sometimes patently rivalrous) between Jessie and Lee—an ambitious, possibly opportunistic up-and-comer and the haunted professional who’s seen it all—and the role of journalists in a society on the brink of collapse. Elaina Patton, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024 The translation into Hindi inevitably fails; instead, two fabulously different, almost rivalrous texts sit next to each other. James Wood, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024 The fan-favorite wrestling drama that paired Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig as rivalrous bros went peering off a cliff less than two months ago before its unceremonious cancellation. Starz Turns Heels, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for rivalrous 

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rivalrous was in 1812

Dictionary Entries Near rivalrous

Cite this Entry

“Rivalrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rivalrous. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on rivalrous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!