# rival

Pronunciation: say "RY-vuhl" /ˈɹaɪvəl/

## Noun

1. A competitor who shares another's goal or strives for the same thing, and whose defeat may be a key aim of the other.
   - Simple: A person, team, or company that wants the same thing you do and tries to win it.
   - _The chess champion faced his longtime rival in the final round._
   - _Local newspapers framed the election as a contest between two bitter rivals._
3. A person or thing whose claims to quality or distinction are seen as equal to another's.
   - Simple: A person or thing that is as good or as famous as another.
   - _In sheer elegance, the old cathedral has no rival in the region._
   - _Critics agree the novel stands without rival among her later works._

## Verb

2. To be equal to, match, or even surpass someone or something else in quality or degree.
   - Simple: To be as good as something else, or even better.
   - _Few desserts rival a freshly baked apple pie straight from the oven._
   - _Her talent rivals that of musicians twice her age._
5. To oppose or compete with another, contending for the same goal or position.
   - Simple: To compete against another person or group for the same thing.
   - _Several startups now rival the established giants in the market._
   - _The new airline rivals older carriers on every major route._
6. To strive to equal or outdo another, often by emulating what they do well.
   - Simple: To try hard to be as good as someone you look up to.
   - _The apprentice longed to rival the master craftsmen of his guild._
   - _Each generation rivals the last in ambition and invention._

## Adjective

4. Competing with another for superiority, making the same claims or pursuing the same aims.
   - Simple: Competing against another for the same prize or top spot.
   - _Rival factions within the party fought openly for control._
   - _The deal finally united two formerly rival firms._

## Noun

7. A person who shares a common right or privilege with another; a partner. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A person who shares the same rights as another, a partner.

## Origin

A learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis, which literally meant a person using the same stream as another.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/rival (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).