# rival

**Pronunciation:** /ˈraɪvl/ · RY-vul

**CEFR level:** B1

**Part of speech:** noun

## Meaning

A person or thing that is in a competition with or trying to win against another.

## Examples

- She has been my closest rival since kindergarten.
- The company is a major rival to the established market leader.
- He was determined to beat his main rival in the race.

## Synonyms

- competitor — Someone who is trying to win something or be more successful than others.
- opponent — Someone who is fighting or competing against you in a game, competition, or argument.
- contender — Someone who competes with many others for a prize or for a position of power.
- adversary — A person who opposes or fights against someone or something.

## Antonyms

- ally — Someone who cooperates with or supports another.
- partner — Someone you work or share activities with, often in a friendly or cooperative way.

## Common patterns

- rival of — Used to indicate who someone or something is competing against. — He was the undisputed rival of the world champion.
- rival to — Used to indicate who someone or something is competing against. — The new product is a serious rival to our existing line.

## Collocations

- fierce rival — The two companies have been fierce rivals for decades.
- main rival — He focused on defeating his main rival in the final match.
- close rival — She was a close rival to the champion, losing by only a few points.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/rivaled

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