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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
This machinery radicalizes communities, recruits operatives, launders funds, and targets opponents abroad.—
Roya Boroumand,
Time,
9 July 2025
-
If Green is ready to make an impact as a rookie, the Ravens’ defense will be a handful for opponents.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
What really sets Four Seasons apart from many of its competitors in the Boise area is a focus on dishes from Northern China.—
Michael Deeds
July 7,
Idaho Statesman,
7 July 2025
-
There are other competitors in this field, including Boston Dynamics.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
-
But the team has 11 superb players in its Starting XI that compete well together.—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Considering the short window between series, MLB obviously would need to have this all planned out — from both a logistical and competitive perspective — well ahead of time.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
-
But, the spirit of competitive excellence from his team has fueled an unquenchable thirst .—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
At the same time, Trump touts his Golden Dome missile shield, meant to protect the homeland and give America greater freedom of action against its foes.—
Hal Brands,
Twin Cities,
13 July 2025
-
In the story, under assault by the Legion of Super-Villains and Lex Luthor (who was forcibly combined with longtime Superman foe Brainiac), Krypto takes on an irradiated villain, the Kryptonite Man.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
This year, the race feels far less assured for far fewer contenders.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
-
That cannot keep happening if the Packers are going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 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 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share