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rivalry

noun
ri·​val·​ry | \ ˈrī-vəl-rē How to pronounce rivalry (audio) \
plural rivalries

Definition of rivalry

: the act of rivaling : the state of being a rival : competition
Synonyms On Rivals, Rivaling, and Rivalry Example Sentences Learn More about rivalry

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On Rivals, Rivaling, and Rivalry

The word rival most commonly refers to a person or group that tries to defeat or be more successful than another person or group, which means that rivals tend to come in pairs. Candidates running for the same political office are political rivals, and two people trying to earn the exclusive affection of a third are romantic rivals. Teams, schools, or companies might be longtime rivals if they try over many years to outdo each other.

Rival can also mean “equal” or “peer.” When the word is used in this way it's usually conveying how good or impressive something or someone is. For example, "a country musician the rival of any in the world" is as good as the best country musicians in the world. Often a negating word is added to assert superiority, as in "a country musician without rival."

As a verb, rival typically has a meaning that relates to this latter sense of the noun. The verb is most often used to say that someone or something possesses qualities or aptitudes that approach or equal those of another. For example, for one country musician to be rivaling another, the first country musician must be as good as or nearly as good as the other musician. (Note that in U.S. English, the verb's forms are usually spelled rivaled and rivaling; in British English rivalled and rivalling are preferred.)

The noun rivalry has to do with the state or situation in which rivals (usually in the “competitor” sense) exist, or in which rivaling happens. In politics we have political rivalries, and in matters of the heart there are romantic rivalries. Sibling rivalry exists when there is competition or jealousy between sisters or brothers.

Examples of rivalry in a Sentence

There is a bitter rivalry between the two groups. a strong sense of rivalry

Recent Examples on the Web

 Pence has recently thwarted claims that there is a growing rivalry between him and former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley as reported by Politico. — Editors, USA TODAY, "Tropical Storm Dorian, CMA Awards nominees: 5 things to know Wednesday," 28 Aug. 2019 Even during Apollo, there was a rivalry between Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama and the Johnson Space Center in Texas. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Half a century after Apollo, why haven’t we been back to the Moon?," 19 July 2019 Brittany encouraged her sister to try for perfect all-around attendance after she was first recognized, so there was definitely some rivalry. — Lily Jackson | Ljackson@al.com, al.com, "How to achieve 13 years of perfect attendance," 26 June 2019 There's a burning rivalry here, but it's cloaked under smiles and passive aggression — not unlike how the women of Desperate Housewives operated when confronted with mean PTA moms and nosy neighbors. — Kaitlin Reilly, refinery29.com, "With Grand Hotel, Eva Longoria Puts More Women Behind The Camera — & More Man Candy In Front Of It," 15 June 2019 There are also rivalries between Arabs who supported the Islamic State and those who did not. — Washington Post, "Mystery crop fires scorch thousands of acres in Syria and Iraq — and ISIS claims responsibility," 8 June 2019 Is there a future LVMH-Kering style rivalry in the works? — Nicole Phelps, Vogue, "Constant Innovation in a Culture of Inclusivity: A Conversation With Tapestry CEO Victor Luis," 30 Jan. 2019 Their rivalry goes back years, including a benches-clearing incident back on April 7 in Pittsburgh. — Jill Martin, CNN, "Yasiel Puig was in a benches-clearing brawl minutes after he reportedly was traded," 31 July 2019 Instead the team rolled off eight straight wins, including the third straight in its long-standing rivalry with Navy. — Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "2019 College Football Rankings: No. 26 Army pushes to build on recent success," 30 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rivalry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of rivalry

1598, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for rivalry

rivalry

noun
How to pronounce rivalry (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of rivalry

: a state or situation in which people or groups are competing with each other

See the full definition for rivalry in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rivalry

noun
ri·​val·​ry | \ ˈrī-vəl-rē How to pronounce rivalry (audio) \
plural rivalries

Kids Definition of rivalry

: the state of trying to defeat or be more successful than another : competition

rivalry

noun
ri·​val·​ry | \ ˈrī-vəl-rē How to pronounce rivalry (audio) \
plural rivalries

Medical Definition of rivalry

1 : a competitive or antagonistic state or condition
2 : retinal rivalry

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