rival

[ rahy-vuhl ]

/ ˈraɪ vəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rival ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

a person or thing that is in a position to dispute another's preeminence or superiority: a stadium without a rival.

Obsolete. a companion in duty.

adjective

competing or standing in rivalry: rival suitors; rival businesses.

verb (used with object), ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

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

to prove to be a worthy rival of: He soon rivaled the others in skill.

to equal (something) as if in carrying on a rivalry: The Hudson rivals any European river in beauty.

verb (used without object), ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

to engage in rivalry; compete.

Nearby words

Origin of rival

1570–80; < Latin rīvālis orig., one who uses a stream in common with another, equivalent to rīv(us) stream + -ālis -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR rival

1 contestant, emulator, antagonist. See opponent.

4 competitive, opposed.

5 oppose.

7 match, emulate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rival ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR rival

1 ally.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR rival ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ri·val·less, adjectivenon·ri·val, noun, adjectiveout·ri·val, verb (used with object), out·ri·valed, out·ri·val·ing or (especially British) out·ri·valled, out·ri·val·ling.un·ri·val·ing, adjective

un·ri·val·ling, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rival

“The US cannot tolerate the idea of any rival economic entity,” Stone writes.
Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup|James Kirchick|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Assad-affiliated Christian militias skirt around the territory of rival groups aligned with the YPG.
In One Corner of Syria, Christmas Spirit Somehow Manages to Survive|Peter Schwartzstein|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Abramson, biting her tongue, was widely portrayed in rival outlets as classily above the fray.
The Bloodiest Media Coups of 2014|Lloyd Grove|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They unleashed a hail of bullets to rival the final scene in ‘Bonnie and Clyde.’
The Cleveland Cops Who Fired 137 Shots and Cried Victim|Michael Daly|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Likewise, it was the attempt to balance the power of rival European states that led to the conflict.
‘America in Retreat’: Why Neo-Isolationism Exploded Under Obama and What We Can Do About It|James Kirchick|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No doubt the party indicated as the witch was very often another of the "good witches," perhaps a rival.
A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718|Wallace Notestein
No rival for me, That Other; but daughter-in-law—best gift a son can bring to his father's house.
Far to Seek|Maud Diver
This would be to degrade Him into the head of a rival sect, which it is convenient for state purposes to make supreme.
The Gospel of St. John|Frederick Denison Maurice
She always seemed to be fairly bursting with youthful energy, and no bird could rival her buoyancy.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
The crime of the inhabitants of these impure "kips," was having spoken ill of Milady, their rival.
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. I (of III)|C. F. Lachelles Wraxall

British Dictionary definitions for rival

rival

/ (ˈraɪvəl) /

noun

a person, organization, team, etc, that competes with another for the same object or in the same field
(as modifier)rival suitors; a rival company

a person or thing that is considered the equal of another or othersshe is without rival in the field of economics

verb -vals, -valling or -valled or US -vals, -valing or -valed (tr)

to be the equal or near equal ofan empire that rivalled Rome

to try to equal or surpass; compete with in rivalry

Word Origin for rival

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

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

Word Origin and History for rival (1 of 2)

rival

1570s, from Latin rivalis "a rival, adversary in love; neighbor," originally, "of the same brook," from rivus "brook" (see rivulet). "One who is in pursuit of the same object as another." The sense evolution seems to be based on the competitiveness of neighbors: "one who uses the same stream," or "one on the opposite side of the stream" A secondary sense in Latin and sometimes in English was "associate, companion in duty," from the notion of "one having a common right or privilege with another." As an adjective 1580s from the noun.

Word Origin and History for rival (1 of 2)

rival

c.1600, from rival (n.). Related: Rivaled; rivaling.

rival

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

verb (used without object), ri·valed, ri·val·ing or (especially British) ri·valled, ri·val·ling.

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Nearby words

Origin of rival

Examples from the Web for rival

British Dictionary definitions for rival

rival

noun

verb -vals, -valling or -valled or US -vals, -valing or -valed (tr)

Word Origin for rival

Word Origin and History for rival (1 of 2)

rival

Word Origin and History for rival (1 of 2)

rival