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Definitions

rival

[rahy-vuhl] / ˈraɪ vəl /
ADJECTIVE
opposing
Synonyms
STRONGEST
competing
STRONG
battling combatant combating conflicting contending contesting cutthroat disputing emulating equal opposed striving vying
WEAK
competitive emulous
Antonyms
WEAK
assisting associate supporting
NOUN
person who opposes in competition
Synonyms
STRONGEST
adversary challenger competition competitor contender opponent peer
STRONG
antagonist bandit buddy contestant emulator entrant equal equivalent match
WEAK
opposite number
Antonyms
STRONGEST
ally helper
STRONG
difference
WEAK
associate cohort companion
VERB
oppose; be a match for
Synonyms
STRONGEST
emulate equal resemble
STRONG
amount approach approximate compete contend contest correspond match meet near partake tie touch
WEAK
bear comparison with come near to come up to compare with go after go for jockey for position measure up to rivalize scramble for seek to displace vie with
Antonyms
STRONG
disconnect give up leave
WEAK
aid assist cooperate help support

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Leaning on its workhorse Falcon 9 rockets, SpaceX launches more often than its competitors in the U.S. and elsewhere, giving it a dominant position in launch services that no rival has matched.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Chief rival SpaceX, which owns satellite-internet company Starlink, has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Hong Kong's CKI Holdings Limited want to table a rival bid.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Johnson isn’t the only one who is set to join forces with a rival in the next chapter of their career.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

There was no darkness she could send him to rival what he’d endured already.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Vocabulary lists containing rival

Beowulf vocabulary

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"The Sporting Spirit"

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30 Great Words from Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

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