duopoly

American

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

noun

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

duopoly British

/ ˌdjʊɒpəˈlɪstɪk, djʊˈɒpəlɪ /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

duopolistic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of duopoly

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

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.

Gatecrashing the duopoly of Roger Federer and Nadal, as well as jostling with Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and Stan Wawrinka in a talented generation, makes Djokovic's early haul even more impressive.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

In a league defined by a Celtic-Rangers duopoly so entrenched that it’s known as the Old Firm, simply pulling into contention is cause for celebration.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Novo Nordisk on Tuesday received a broker downgrade, with the analysts arguing that its status in a duopoly in both diabetes and weight loss are under threat.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Asked if Ferguson was rooting for Hearts to end the Old Firm duopoly by winning the title, McInnes said: "I'm pretty sure that is the case!"

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023