duel
Americannoun
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a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, especially to settle a private quarrel.
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any contest between two persons or parties.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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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
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a contest or conflict between two persons or parties
verb
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to fight in a duel
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to contest closely
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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duelsimple
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duelssimple
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have dueledperfect
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have duelledperfect
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has dueledperfect
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has duelledperfect
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am duelingprogressive
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am duellingprogressive
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are duelingprogressive
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are duellingprogressive
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is duelingprogressive
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is duellingprogressive
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have been duelingperfect progressive
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have been duellingperfect progressive
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has been duelingperfect progressive
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has been duellingperfect progressive
Past
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dueledsimple
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duelledsimple
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had dueledperfect
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had duelledperfect
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was duelingprogressive
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was duellingprogressive
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were duelingprogressive
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were duellingprogressive
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had been duelingperfect progressive
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had been duellingperfect progressive
Future
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."
Vocabulary lists containing duel
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #5
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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.
Still, he battled in an eight-pitch duel in the second inning before taking a changeup 384 feet over the wall in right-center.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
Erling Haaland showdown on June 26 when France faces Norway in a duel between two of the world’s best scorers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
The Civil War, when it came, was widely seen as a duel to the death between the White Lion and the Mayflower.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Justin Wrobleski and José Soriano were locked in a pitchers’ duel until Mookie Betts ignited a surge that sealed the Dodgers’ win over the Angels.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
“I said nothing of retreat! This is a duel—and a duel begins back-to-back.”
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
