rivals

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.

During the heyday of the Estadio Azteca, the idea was for Mexico to beat their rivals before they ever kicked off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Now, as voters head to the polls on primary day in the Pine Tree State, RCV has become so accepted that candidates from both parties are openly encouraging voters to rank their rivals.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

Apple on Monday unveiled a new version of its virtual assistant Siri, to take on its artificial intelligence-powered rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

The latest data drop from the weight-loss rivals looks set to widen that gap.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

I was selected captain of the team, played number one in singles and doubles and led the school to several important victories against long-standing rivals.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane