duel

American  

[doo-uhl, dyoo-] / ˈdu əl, ˈdyu- /

noun

1. a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, especially to settle a private quarrel.

2. any contest between two persons or parties.

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verb (used with or without object)

duels, present (3rd person singular) dueled, past participle, past duelled, past participle, past dueling, present participle duelling present participle

1. to fight in a duel.

duel British  

/ ˈdjuːəl /

noun

1. a prearranged combat with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of seconds and traditionally fought until one party was wounded or killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honour

2. a contest or conflict between two persons or parties

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verb

1. to fight in a duel

2. to contest closely

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dueller
  noun
• outduel
  verb (used with object)
• duelistic
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have duelled
  perfect
• has dueled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has duelled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have been dueling
  perfect progressive
• have dueled
  perfect
• am duelling
  progressive 1st person singular
• am dueling
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been duelling
  perfect progressive
• duels
  singular 3rd person
• has been dueling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is dueling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are dueling
  progressive
• is duelling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been duelling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are duelling
  progressive
• dueling
  participle
• duelling
  participle

Past

• had duelled
  perfect
• had dueled
  perfect
• had been dueling
  perfect progressive
• were dueling
  progressive plural
• was duelling
  progressive singular
• was dueling
  progressive singular
• were duelling
  progressive plural
• dueled
  simple
• had been duelling
  perfect progressive
• dueled
  participle
• duelled
  participle
• duelled
  simple

Future

• will duel
  simple
• will have duelled
  perfect
• will have dueled
  perfect
• will have been dueling
  perfect progressive
• will be duelling
  progressive
• will have been duelling
  perfect progressive
• will be dueling
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of duel

1585–95; earlier duell < Medieval Latin duellum, Latin: earlier form of bellum war, probably maintained and given sense “duel” by association with Latin duo two

Explanation

A duel is a fight between two people, usually using swords or other weapons. If you tend to be a little cowardly, you're probably glad that people aren't expected to defend their honor with a duel these days. The classic definition of a duel is the kind that happens all the time in Shakespeare plays: two men clanking swords together in a battle to the death over some issue of honor or betrayal. Today, the word duel can be used to talk about any kind of contest or struggle — like a duel between political candidates. The word duel can be traced back to both duo, Latin for "two," and also duellum, which means "war."

Example Sentences

It wasn’t the neck-and-neck duel spectators might have hoped to see.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Another storyline will be the duel between Bass and Raman, who were allies until Raman decided to run for mayor just before the filing period closed.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

"Few answers are going to be complete, especially when you cut me off all the time," the visibly irritated multibillionaire said as he resumed his duel Thursday morning with the defense attorney for OpenAI.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

However, things boiled over in the 83rd minute after Haaland and Gabriel competed in an aerial duel.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Her rival had challenged her to a duel in order to show the Marvellian world who, in fact, was the best ringmaster of them all.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• bout
• shootout