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rivalry

rivalry

102 2.8
Competition between people or groups who try to be more successful for the same goal
  • noun
  • /ˈraɪvəlri/
translation icon : rivalidad
  • The intense rivalry between the two soccer teams has captivated fans for years.
  • competition and rivalry
  • team rivalry
  • intense rivalry

The heart versus Michaels rivalry before the Iron Man.

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Examples

  • While this sibling rivalry may seem cruel, in the end, it is for the best.

  • Competition among neighbors in the region has produced a civic rivalry that crosses the bay.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Oh, the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

  • Now, the second big rivalry in Europe.

  • The first is my rivalry with him.

  • Let me talk about the rivalry within Formula One and within your team.

  • With rivalry always comes motivation to succeed.

  • Today the biggest rivalry in our district is afoot.

  • In fact, there was an intense rivalry between Lavoisier and France.

  • Don't worry, a little sibling rivalry is healthy.

Synonyms

competition
vsrivalry
217 2.1

Trying to win something by doing better than others

is about ongoing opposition between people or groups for the same goal
contention
vsrivalry
21 5.7

A competition between people for something like a prize or job

is used more for lasting opposition between people or groups
3 3.7

A strong struggle between people to get the same job or prize

is the usual contest between parties without extra intensity

Antonyms

832 4.0

A formal agreement between countries or groups to work together

443 2.5

Working together with other people to reach a common goal

How Intense

blood feud
  • NSFW
7 8.2
feud
93 4.2
rivalry
102 2.8
competition
217 2.1

Surface Forms

rivalry singular
rivalries plural

Morphology

rivalry = rival (transparent) = rival + ry

The noun is formed by adding the suffix '-ry' to 'rival' to denote the state or relation of being rivals, which is a straightforward derivation.

Etymology

The word rivalry comes from the Latin word rivus meaning 'stream' because a rival was once someone who used the same water as another. When people had to share the same stream they often competed, so rivalry now means competition for the same thing and you can see the same root in the word river.