as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the softball rivals met in an epic confrontation on the last weekend of the summer
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Recent Examples of confrontation
The attacker ran away after the bloody confrontation, according to police.
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Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024
Iran has used its drone program to build its global importance and increase weapons sales but has suffered setbacks in its confrontation with Israel.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2024
The court documents don't allege Nagbe was planning to use the firearm at the Pentagon, but prosecutors said Nagbe injured an officer in a physical confrontation during the arrest.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024
Zoom in: Trump is sparking a confrontation with his closest allies in Congress, with Johnson caught in the middle.
—Justin Green, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confrontation 
Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024
Iran has used its drone program to build its global importance and increase weapons sales but has suffered setbacks in its confrontation with Israel.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2024
The court documents don't allege Nagbe was planning to use the firearm at the Pentagon, but prosecutors said Nagbe injured an officer in a physical confrontation during the arrest.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024
Zoom in: Trump is sparking a confrontation with his closest allies in Congress, with Johnson caught in the middle.
—Justin Green, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for confrontation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontation
Noun
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With Wales qualifying for their first major tournament, Wiegman said her side was looking forward to their rivalry with the neighbors.Manasi Pathak, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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Macchio returned as Daniel in the TV series Cobra Kai, where his rivalry with longtime opponent Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is reignited 35 years later.Jen Juneau, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Detroit has lost its cavalry commander from the Last Great Newspaper War, the all-out mid-1980s battle for circulation in the last market outside New York where two newspapers still sold more than 650,000 copies a day.Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024
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Therefore, in a sense, the battle to finish second is almost the most interesting thing — and these days, that’s usually Real Madrid.Michael Cox, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Ian Cramer's Drug Use The sentencing hearing largely centered on Ian Cramer's struggles with addiction and mental health.George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
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And the former coach believes Leftwich became the scapegoat for the Buccaneers’ struggles.Mike Jones, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In fact, isolating it to just the defensive third, their 69.1 per cent aerial duel and 65.1 per cent ground duel success is the highest by a team in any Premier League season since 2018-19.Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
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From an opening scene on the high seas as a French merchant ship is aflame to a stag hunt on an aristocratic estate to a pistol duel at dawn, the writer-directors capture the scope and grandeur of Dumas’ story.Scott Phillips, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Once the initial shock subsides, Kit and Theo decide this is the perfect opportunity to prove who won the breakup – with a hookup competition.Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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The lawsuit, initiated on October 2, 2024, alleges that NASCAR's charter agreements violate antitrust laws by hindering competition.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Exploring family bonds between fathers, sons and brothers through personal journeys and generational conflicts, the film’s cast also features Sean Bean and Samantha Morton.Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2025
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Old conflicts or issues within your social circle may resurface, but this is also an opportunity to reconnect with the individuals and passions that fuel and uplift you.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Reenacting Bronze Age spear combat The European Bronze Age saw the rise of institutionalized warfare, evidenced by the many spearheads and similar weaponry archaeologists have unearthed.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
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Hybrid warfare refers to a range of activities stopping short of open fighting, like cyberattacks, information campaigns or the targeting of vulnerable infrastructure, such as undersea cables.David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Week 15 saw the number of teams that have qualified for the playoffs increase to seven, while two more were cut out of contention.Sam Joseph, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
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Trump announced that the Republican Party would aim to eliminate the practice of changing the time, which has been a topic of bipartisan contention for years.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near confrontation
Cite this Entry
“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontation. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
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