as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of rivalry
Where President-elect Trump sees a rivalry, Canada sees a potential friend.
—
Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
The Greatest Rivalry: India vs. Pakistan India vs. Pakistan is one of the most intense rivalries in cricket, bringing in hundreds of millions of viewers across the world.
—Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
Trump and Obama’s political rivalry has led to bitter attacks during the past three presidential campaigns.
—Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Jan. 2025
Trump’s transactional and pragmatic engagement with adversaries may do more to tame geopolitical rivalry than Biden’s view of a globe defined by a clash between democracy and autocracy.
—Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rivalry 
Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2025
The Greatest Rivalry: India vs. Pakistan India vs. Pakistan is one of the most intense rivalries in cricket, bringing in hundreds of millions of viewers across the world.
—Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
Trump and Obama’s political rivalry has led to bitter attacks during the past three presidential campaigns.
—Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Jan. 2025
Trump’s transactional and pragmatic engagement with adversaries may do more to tame geopolitical rivalry than Biden’s view of a globe defined by a clash between democracy and autocracy.
—Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for rivalry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivalry
Noun
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Howe’s men will share the club record of nine consecutive victories across all competitions with Kevin Keegan’s vintage (May to September 1994) and Rafa Benitez’s Championship-winning side (September to November 2016).—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
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Making better use of A.I., Mr. Burns said, is crucial to the U.S. competition with China.—
Julian E. Barnes,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Rose served in the band from its inception in 1977 to 2017, after Willis regained 50 percent of the copyright to the band in a protracted legal battle.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
20 Jan. 2025
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In a YouTube video released in October, Jake Paul announced his endorsement for Trump for the 2024 election and drew a bold comparison between the president-elect's legal battles and the historic struggles of America's Founding Fathers.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The game figures to be tight, and for a while now, coach Andy Reid’s Chiefs have been winning such duels.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
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His brawn did not correlate with a ranking in the bottom seven per cent of defenders from Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won and in the bottom one per cent for tackles won.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Gaza conflict did raise the Palestinian issue — the long struggle for independence after decades of Israeli occupation and repression — on the world stage.—
Tracy Wilkinson,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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Sly Stone's struggles with cocaine have been well documented, even, at times, eclipsing his achievements as an artist.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Their conflict has killed more than 28,000 people, forced millions to flee their homes and left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine sweeps parts of the country.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
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Most aggravating is the way the film neatly resolves all of its conflicts for the end.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His position once again puts him in charge of the world’s most powerful military, which -- often at his discretion -- can either engage in lethal warfare or act as a deterrent and a force for peace.—
Ian Pannell,
ABC News,
22 Jan. 2025
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Author of 'Swarm Troopers: How small drones will conquer the world,' following cutting-edge military technology in general and the drone warfare revolution in particular.—
David Hambling,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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An Israeli soldier was injured in the confrontation, the military said.—
Matthew Mpoke Bigg,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Prosecutors say Scott, a Bradenton man, was among the first rioters to initiate physical confrontations with police on the Capitol steps, helping to lead the mob that breached the building.—
Michael Moore Jr.,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Why This Matters The ESA, enacted in 1973 to safeguard vulnerable species and their habitats, has long been a focal point of contention.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
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The key to that was elite special teams, namely a top power play that has proven to be the team’s bread and butter during their recent stretch of contention.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near rivalry
Cite this Entry
“Rivalry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivalry. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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