rival

[ rahy-vuhl ]

noun

1. a person who is competing for the same object or goal as another, or who tries to equal or outdo another; competitor.

   Synonyms: antagonist, adversary, emulator, opponent

   Antonyms: ally

2. a person or thing that is in a position to dispute another's preeminence or superiority:

   a stadium without a rival.

3. Obsolete. a companion in duty.

adjective

1. competing or standing in rivalry: rival businesses.

   rival suitors;

   rival businesses.

   Synonyms: opposed, competitive

verb (used with object)

, ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

1. to compete with in rivalry; strive to win from, equal, or outdo.

   Synonyms: oppose

2. to prove to be a worthy rival of:

   He soon rivaled the others in skill.

3. to equal (something) as if in carrying on a rivalry:

   The Hudson rivals any European river in beauty.

   Synonyms: emulate, match

verb (used without object)

, ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

1. to engage in rivalry; compete.

rival

/ ˈraɪvəl /

noun

1. 1. a person, organization, team, etc, that competes with another for the same object or in the same field
   2. ( as modifier )

      a rival company

      rival suitors

2. a person or thing that is considered the equal of another or others

   she is without rival in the field of economics

verb

1. to be the equal or near equal of

   an empire that rivalled Rome

2. to try to equal or surpass; compete with in rivalry

Other Words From

• rival·less adjective
• non·rival noun adjective
• outrival verb (used with object) outrivaled outrivaling or (especially British) outrivalled outrivalling
• un·rival·ing adjective
• un·rival·ling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rival¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin rīvālis, originally, “one who uses a stream in common with another,” equivalent to rīv(us) “stream” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rival¹

C16: from Latin rīvalis , literally: one who shares the same brook, from rīvus a brook

Synonym Study

See opponent.

Example Sentences

In some cases, companies have alerted Cfius to a rival’s connections with foreign investors, said startup executives and lawyers.

From TechCrunch

Heading into Friday night, no division leader enjoys more than a one-point cushion over its nearest rival and the fifth-place team in each division is no more than one point out of a potential playoff spot.

From Washington Post

It called on scientists and researchers from around the world, including collaborations between rival countries in the middle of the Cold War.

From Vox

Residents under 40 continued to drive the bulk of the infections, and those above 70 still accounted for the vast majority of deaths — an average of 58 a day in December, which rivaled May as the deadliest month.

From Washington Post

Still, it’s striking that South Dakota, a relatively rural state, has death and illness rates that rival the numbers of much more densely populated states.

From Washington Post

“The US cannot tolerate the idea of any rival economic entity,” Stone writes.

From The Daily Beast

Launched just 13 years ago, it quickly became a serious rival to MAS and a rising juggernaut in Asia.

From The Daily Beast

Assad-affiliated Christian militias skirt around the territory of rival groups aligned with the YPG.

From The Daily Beast

Abramson, biting her tongue, was widely portrayed in rival outlets as classily above the fray.

From The Daily Beast

They unleashed a hail of bullets to rival the final scene in ‘Bonnie and Clyde.’

From The Daily Beast

He could not tell what I meant by secrets of state, where an enemy or some rival nation were not in the case.

From Project Gutenberg

He and his friends obtained the lease, for thirty-one years, of a rival line, which turned out a great financial success.

From Project Gutenberg

Bonaparte already foresaw the day when France should lie at his feet; he instinctively divined in Bernadotte a possible rival.

From Project Gutenberg

But later the Marshal had bitter cause to repent these triumphs won over his rival.

From Project Gutenberg

Even Tim, so fine and big, had in this homely, lanky man a rival well worth watching.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• competing