rival Meaning & Definition
What Does Rival Mean?
As a noun, rival means A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor. It is also used to mean Someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another. As an adjective, it means Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority. As a verb, it means To oppose or compete with.
Word Facts for Rival
| Part of speech | noun, adjective, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈɹaɪvəl// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | touch, match and competition |
| Plural | rivals |
| Verb forms | rivals, and past participle |
Rival Definition (Noun)
- A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor.
Chris is my biggest rival in the 400-metre race.
- Someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another.
As a social historian, he has no rival.
- One having a common right or privilege with another; a partner.
Rival as an Adjective
- Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority.
rival lovers
Rival as a Verb
- To oppose or compete with.
to rival somebody in love
- To be equal to, or match, or to surpass another.
- To strive to equal or excel; to emulate.
Synonyms of Rival
Rival synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Rival
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Rival in a Sentence
Chris is my biggest rival in the 400-metre race.
We play our biggest rival tomorrow.
As a social historian, he has no rival.
rival lovers
rival claims or pretensions
to rival somebody in love
rival lovers; rival claims or pretensions
Word Forms & Grammar
rival (plural rivals)
rival (not comparable)
rival (third-person singular simple present rivals, present participle (US) rivaling or (UK) rivalling, simple past and past participle (US) rivaled or (UK) rivalled)
Words That Rhyme With Rival
Origin of Rival
Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”). By surface analysis, Latin rīvus + -al.
Pronouncing Rival
The standard pronunciation of rival is //ˈɹaɪvəl//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rival
Is rival a noun or an adjective?
Rival is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective and a verb.
What is another word for rival?
Words with a similar meaning to rival include touch, match and competition. See the full list of rival synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of rival?
The plural of rival is rivals.
What is the past tense of rival?
The past tense of rival is and past participle.