1
as in equivalent
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 opponent
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 competitor
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
as in competitive
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rival
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
Their high-profile capture set off a wave of violence across Sinaloa as rival factions scrambled for control.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 11 July 2025
Matt O’Brien, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
After its initial success, OpenAI has faced stiff competition from rivals including Google and startup Anthropic, and is looking for new areas of growth.
—Kenrick Cai, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Yasara Gunawardena, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The weekslong, round-the-clock coverage of the trial has rivaled few other criminal cases in recent years.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Noun
Blake also plans on catching up with former Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, who now pitches for the rival Red Sox.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
Their high-profile capture set off a wave of violence across Sinaloa as rival factions scrambled for control.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 11 July 2025
Verb
Built using huge amounts of computing power at a Tennessee data center, Grok is Musk’s attempt to outdo rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in building an AI assistant that shows its reasoning before answering a question.
—Matt O’Brien, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
After its initial success, OpenAI has faced stiff competition from rivals including Google and startup Anthropic, and is looking for new areas of growth.
—Kenrick Cai, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Adjective
If Los Angeles is crowded with amazing Mexican food, what makes Sanchez’s burrito rival the rest?
—Yasara Gunawardena, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The weekslong, round-the-clock coverage of the trial has rivaled few other criminal cases in recent years.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rival
Noun
-
First, opponents argued that the rule was unlawful and that Congress would need to amend the statute to implement the changes proposed by DHS in its rule.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
The same is true of pickleball, where a skilled player with the right paddle can cause problems for an opponent.—
Martin Cizmar,
Wired News,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
Costa has not been an active competitor in the UFC.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
Another competitor, Volocopter, was headed in a similar direction before being acquired by Diamond Aircraft Industries, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanfeng Aircraft Division of Wanfeng Auto Holding Group, in March.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
In contrast, the Cincinnati area is aging more quickly and struggling to draw in younger workers — a trend that, according to the chamber's report, could hinder the region’s ability to compete with other metros in business growth, infrastructure development, and innovation.—
Randy Tucker,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
-
Teams are competing to win the $50,000 grand prize.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement Of course, there’s not a whole lot regulators can do to make a marketplace more competitive.—
Alana Semuels,
Time,
15 July 2025
-
The new offering is meant to not only make the company more competitive with the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, but also to grow its nascent advertising business, which has become a key strategic effort for the company.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
For Hacks, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs didn't receive any nods, though some of their counterparts like Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder did.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
15 July 2025
-
That’s no longer the case, thanks to innovations like Nova, which deliver impressive results that rival those of their less sustainable counterparts.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The club’s 48 points are the most league-wide, but fellow Eastern Conference foes Nashville SC and Philadelphia Union aren’t far behind.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
-
President Donald Trump is once again aiming at his usual late-night foes.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
One common thread that's already uniting a number of this year's Hymer and Knaus contenders is the transformable bathroom, which bridges the gap between wet and dry RV bathroom layouts.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 July 2025
-
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are heading into the 2025 college football season as one of the top contenders in the nation.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
In previous filings, Stone contended that forensic evidence would show that whoever shot Reuter was much taller than Yang.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
-
He was expected to contend for the team's lead running back role with the departure of veteran Nick Chubb.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rival. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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