rivals

NOUN

person who opposes in competition

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adversary challenger competition competitor contender opponent peer

STRONG

antagonist bandit buddy contestant emulator entrant equal equivalent match

WEAK

opposite number

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ally helper

STRONG

difference

WEAK

associate cohort companion

VERB

oppose; be a match for

Synonyms

STRONGEST

emulate equal resemble

STRONG

amount approach approximate compete contend contest correspond match meet near partake tie touch

WEAK

bear comparison with come near to come up to compare with go after go for jockey for position measure up to rivalize scramble for seek to displace vie with

Antonyms

STRONG

disconnect give up leave

WEAK

aid assist cooperate help support

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.

That is expected to be followed by artificial intelligence rivals OpenAI and Anthropic.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

He doubled the size of Harvard’s private-equity portfolio, which includes venture capital, areas where Harvard had lagged behind many of its rivals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

The fragrance for the Rams is called “Conversion No. 2,” a reference to a bizarre play that went the Seahawks’ way during a 38-37 victory against their NFC West rivals in December.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

The collapse of discount carrier Spirit Airlines also stands to benefit some rivals.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

Fischer and Hall were business rivals, but as prominent members of the high-altitude fraternity their paths frequently crossed, and on a certain level they considered themselves friends.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer