duopoly

American  

[doo-op-uh-lee, dyoo-] / duˈɒp ə li, dyu- /

noun

plural

duopolies

1. the market condition that exists when there are only two sellers.

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duopoly British  

/ ˌdjʊɒpəˈlɪstɪk, djʊˈɒpəlɪ /

noun

1. a situation in which control of a commodity or service in a particular market is vested in just two producers or suppliers

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Other Word Forms

• duopolistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of duopoly

First recorded in 1915–20; duo- + (mono)poly

Example Sentences

According to Pew Research, nearly 40% of U.S. adults identify as independents or with parties outside of the Republican and Democratic duopoly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

And we have a duopoly of networks: Visa and Mastercard, who process more than 80% of those transactions.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

There’s now a duopoly where Visa and Mastercard control most of the market, according to the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, and Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

The card duopoly makes money not just from credit card transactions, but also from debit card payments, earning roughly the same fee on both types of swipes.

From Barron's • Jan. 13, 2026

BBC Sport picks out five players who could potentially end the 'Sincaraz' duopoly next season.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025