DictionaryAI

rival

RY-vuhl/ˈɹaɪvəl/

Pluralrivals

Verbrivals

7 meanings of rival

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  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A person, team, or company that wants the same thing you do and tries to win it.

    Like two runners both reaching for the same finish line.

    Her biggest rival in the race trained just as hard as she did.

    The two companies have been rivals in the phone market for years.

    Similarcompetitor, opponent, adversary, challenger, contender

    Oppositeally, partner

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To be as good as something else, or even better.

    Like a small shop's coffee tasting just as good as a famous chain's.

    This little café's coffee can rival any big-city shop.

    Their new phone rivals the most expensive models on the market.

    Similarmatch, equal, approach

    Note
  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A person or thing that is as good or as famous as another.

    Like saying no other team in the league is as strong as this one.

    As a painter, she has no rival in the whole town.

    This museum's collection has few rivals anywhere in the country.

    Similarequal, match, peer, parallel

  4. 4
    adjective
    Competing against another for the same prize or top spot.

    Like two stores on the same street both trying to win the same shoppers.

    The two rival teams have played each other for years.

    She just took a job at a rival company across the street.

    Similarcompeting, opposing, conflicting

    Oppositeallied

    Note
  5. 5
    verbtransitive
    To compete against another person or group for the same thing.

    Like two teams playing against each other for the same trophy.

    Two bakeries rival each other for the town's best bread.

    Their team rivals ours for the championship every single year.

    Similarchallenge

    Note
  6. 6
    verbtransitive
    To try hard to be as good as someone you look up to.

    Like practicing hard to play as well as your favorite star.

    Young players rival their heroes by copying every move they make.

    She rivals her mentor in both skill and dedication.

    Similaremulate, equal, match

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 7
    nounobsolete
    A person who shares the same rights as another, a partner.
    If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, / The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.
    c. 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”Here, rivals means partners, those sharing the watch with him.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Latin rīvālis, which meant a person who uses the same stream as someone else.