rivalry
Americannoun
-
the action, position, or relation of a rival or rivals; competition.
rivalry between Yale and Harvard.
- Synonyms:
- jealousy, antagonism, opposition
-
an instance of this.
noun
-
the act of rivalling; competition
-
the state of being a rival or rivals
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of rivalry
Explanation
Rivalry is the act of competing for the same thing against another person. Your rivalry with your older sister is amusing to the family but very annoying to her. Rivalry comes from the noun rival, the person you compete against. Often a rivalry starts when people want the same reward — and their talents are just about equal. Your rivalry for the lead in the play at the local theater isn't between you and George Clooney — it's between you and the other guy who also had a great audition.
Vocabulary lists containing rivalry
The Outsiders
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Olympics Vocabulary for Champions
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Content Summary 5.1: Causes of the Atlantic Revolutions
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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.
His rivalry with William Gladstone of the Liberal Party shaped the mid-Victorian era.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 12, 2026
During our rivalry we could relate to what the other was going through but when one was happy the other was always sad.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
Beyond Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz's generational rivalry, the ATP Tour struggles to have players challenging for the majors or to cut through and captivate the wider public.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
We wanted to talk about our rivalry, which has been kind of forgotten in modern time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
“It’s kind of scary that it can have that sort of an impact,” Superintendent Hayes acknowledged of the rivalry.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
