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rivalrous

rivalrous

1 8.1
Wanting strongly to compete with others
  • adjective
  • /ˈraɪvəlrəs/
translation icon : rival
  • Following the inspection, rivalrous songs, particularly on the themes of yam exchanges and warfare, are sung by individuals.
  • rivalrous sibling
  • rivalrous relationship

So I've got a game which at the end of the day is fundamentally rivalrous.

Examples

  • In the world of business, rivalrous companies often innovate rapidly to outdo one another.

  • If two universities known for their rivalrous ways can team up, so too can alumni.

    Blog text (20)
  • Vera, secure in her superiority, had been a generous big sister, oblivious, it seemed, to the rivalrous feelings June harbored.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • This power to arbitrate among the rivalrous claims of multiple beneficiaries is quintessentially fiduciary in nature.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Every May and June, different branches of the State Department paint contrasting portraits of how Washington views dozens of strategically significant countries around the world in seemingly rivalrous reports by its Human Rights and Political-Military Affairs bureaus.

    Blog text (22)
  • This requirement of fair and evenhanded treatment emancipates beneficiaries with rivalrous interests by requiring fiduciaries to exercise entrusted power in a manner that respects the beneficiaries' formal equality.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The rivalrous athletes pushed each other to achieve their personal bests during the competition.

  • Sibling rivalrous behavior can sometimes lead to a stronger bond as they learn from each other.

Synonyms

competitive
vsrivalrous
152 3.9

Wanting to be better than other people and win

centers on rivalry to surpass others rather than general success motives
rival
vsrivalrous
64 3.5

Competing with another for the same goal or position

highlights personal desire to compete and surpass rather than equal status
emulous
vsrivalrous
1 9.9

Having a strong wish to equal or do better than others to compete

focuses on wanting to compete or surpass without stressing imitation
hypercompetitive
vsrivalrous
1 7.6

A situation in which people or companies try very hard to beat each other

has a strong competitive desire but not necessarily extreme intensity

Antonyms

119 3.5

Willing to work with other people to reach a shared goal

A project people work on together to reach a shared goal

How Competitive

cutthroat
23 7.8
aggressive
311 3.7
rivalrous
1 8.1
competitive
152 3.9

Surface Forms

rivalrous positive

Morphology

rivalrous = rival (transparent) = rival + rous

The suffix '-rous' is a standard adjective-forming suffix, making the meaning clear as 'characterized by rivalry'.

Etymology

Rivalrous comes from rival, which goes back to the Latin word rivus meaning 'stream' or 'brook'. So, rivals were people who used the same stream and had to compete for the same water, and rivalrous now means being full of competition or wanting to beat others.