Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”). By surface analysis, Latin rīvus + -al.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority.
Japan’s largest yakuza crime syndicate has pledged to end its longstanding war with a rival faction and refrain from causing “trouble,” authorities said, as the mafia-like groups contend with falling membership and increased police crackdowns. 2025 April 11, Junko Ogura, Helen Regan, “Japan’s biggest Yakuza crime group pledges to end decade-long gang war”, in CNN, archived from the original on 09 May 2025:
rival lovers
The strenuous conflicts and alternate victories of two rival confederacies of statesmen. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter I, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”). By surface analysis, Latin rīvus + -al.
Meanings
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.
The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about […], or offering services that let you[…] "share the things you love with the world" and so on. But the real way to build a successful online business is to be better than your rivals at undermining people's control of their own attention. 2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “The tao of tech”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 27:
Chris is my biggest rival in the 400-metre race.
Every day is like survival / You're my lover, not my rival 1983, “Karma Chameleon”, in Colour by Numbers, performed by Culture Club:
Someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another.
As a social historian, he has no rival.
(obsolete) One having a common right or privilege with another; a partner.
If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, / The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
sh konkùrentica (competitor with the same objective) · egy ms-s-d-w-A2 (competitor with the same objective) · sv rival (competitor with the same objective) · cmn 敵手 /敌手 (competitor with the same objective) · ru ра́вный (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · sh rìvālka (competitor with the same objective) · hi प्रतिवादी (competitor with the same objective) · ja 好敵手 (competitor with the same objective) · it avversario (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · be канкурэ́нт (competitor with the same objective) · sh су̀па̄рнӣк (competitor with the same objective) · sl tekmica (competitor with the same objective) · mn өрсөлдөгч (competitor with the same objective) · mn ᠥᠷᠢᠰᠦᠯᠳᠦᠭᠴᠢ (competitor with the same objective) · tr rakip (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · my ယှဉ်ဖက် (competitor with the same objective) · ach la kwor (competitor with the same objective) · pt adversário (competitor with the same objective) · pt rival (competitor with the same objective) · shn ၽူႈၶႄႉၶဵင်ႇ (competitor with the same objective) · cs rival (competitor with the same objective) · pt rival (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · hi प्रतिद्वंद्वी (competitor with the same objective) · rom rivàlo (competitor with the same objective) · nl vijand (competitor with the same objective) · el εφάμιλλος (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · fi kilpailija (competitor with the same objective) · ur حَرِیف (competitor with the same objective) · sh рѝва̄л (competitor with the same objective) · lt konkurentas (competitor with the same objective) · et rivaal (competitor with the same objective) · ru конкуре́нтка (competitor with the same objective) · mi tautētete (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · mi wheinga (competitor with the same objective) · nl concurent (competitor with the same objective) · hi प्रतिस्पर्धी (competitor with the same objective) · sh sùpārnīk (competitor with the same objective) · hu vetélytárs (competitor with the same objective) · sq kundërshtar (competitor with the same objective) · cs sokyně (competitor with the same objective) · ps سيال (competitor with the same objective) · he מִתְחָרֶה (competitor with the same objective) · be супе́рніца (competitor with the same objective) · be су́пар (competitor with the same objective) · pt competidor (competitor with the same objective) · mk соперник (competitor with the same objective) · cs soupeř (competitor with the same objective) · de Konkurrent (competitor with the same objective) · be супраці́ўнік (competitor with the same objective) · de Rivale (competitor with the same objective) · el αντίζηλος (competitor with the same objective) · da rival (competitor with the same objective) · id penentang (competitor with the same objective) · kmr hevrik (competitor with the same objective) · be супе́рнік (competitor with the same objective) · sh pròtīvnica (competitor with the same objective) · sl tekmec (competitor with the same objective) · bn প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বী (competitor with the same objective) · pl rywal (competitor with the same objective) · lv sāncensis (competitor with the same objective) · fa-ira حَریف (competitor with the same objective) · el ανταγωνιστής (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · pl konkurent (competitor with the same objective) · nl rivaal (competitor with the same objective) · mk ривал (competitor with the same objective) · ka მეტოქე (competitor with the same objective) · grc ἀντίπαλος (competitor with the same objective) · uz raqib (competitor with the same objective) · nb rival (competitor with the same objective) · it avversario (competitor with the same objective) · ps رقيب (competitor with the same objective) · sk súperka (competitor with the same objective) · sh pròtīvnīk (competitor with the same objective) · la aemulus (competitor with the same objective) · la rīvālis (competitor with the same objective) · be сапе́рніца (competitor with the same objective) · ja 宿敵 (competitor with the same objective) · bg проти́вничка (competitor with the same objective) · it rivale (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · tk garşydaş (competitor with the same objective) · ru сопе́рница (competitor with the same objective) · sl konkurent (competitor with the same objective) · hi प्रतिरोधी (competitor with the same objective) · mk ривалка (competitor with the same objective) · tl kaagaw (competitor with the same objective) · ru проти́вница (competitor with the same objective) · pl rywalka (competitor with the same objective) · uk проти́вник (competitor with the same objective) · bg проти́вница (competitor with the same objective) · el ανταγωνιστής (competitor with the same objective) · sq rival (competitor with the same objective) · ca rival (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · mi hoa kakari (competitor with the same objective) · grc παλαιστής (competitor with the same objective) · uk проти́вниця (competitor with the same objective) · ja ライバル (competitor with the same objective) · uk супе́рник (competitor with the same objective) · la aemula (competitor with the same objective) · ro rivală (competitor with the same objective) · fr rival (competitor with the same objective) · mba pag-agawan (competitor with the same objective) · lv konkurents (competitor with the same objective) · id lawan (competitor with the same objective) · uk супе́рниця (competitor with the same objective) · sh су̀па̄рница (competitor with the same objective) · gd co-fharpaiseach (competitor with the same objective) · de Gegnerin (competitor with the same objective) · kk қарсылас (competitor with the same objective) · tr benzer (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · cs soupeřka (competitor with the same objective) · nl tegenstander (competitor with the same objective) · uz harif (competitor with the same objective) · cs sok (competitor with the same objective) · grc ἀγωνιστής (competitor with the same objective) · ps حريف (competitor with the same objective) · ug رەقىب (competitor with the same objective) · ky атаандаш (competitor with the same objective) · hu rivális (competitor with the same objective) · sh sùpārnica (competitor with the same objective) · cmn 對手 /对手 (competitor with the same objective) · sh конку̀рентица (competitor with the same objective) · lt varžovas (competitor with the same objective) · sl konkurentka (competitor with the same objective) · be канкурэ́нтка (competitor with the same objective) · uk конкуре́нтка (competitor with the same objective) · sh про̀тӣвнӣк (competitor with the same objective) · be сапе́рнік (competitor with the same objective) · vi địch thủ (competitor with the same objective) · mk соперничка (competitor with the same objective) · he יָרִיב (competitor with the same objective) · fa-ira رَقیب (competitor with the same objective) · de Konkurrentin (competitor with the same objective) · bg съпе́рничка (competitor with the same objective) · it competitore (competitor with the same objective) · it pari (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · ru проти́вник (competitor with the same objective) · ca rival (competitor with the same objective) · bg конкуре́нтка (competitor with the same objective) · sh pròtīvnica (competitor with the same objective) · id musun (competitor with the same objective) · vi đối thủ (competitor with the same objective) · ko 라이벌 (competitor with the same objective) · sk sokyňa (competitor with the same objective) · tr denk (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · pl konkurentka (competitor with the same objective) · ka რაყიფი (competitor with the same objective) · ru конкуре́нт (competitor with the same objective) · hy մրցակից (competitor with the same objective) · bg проти́вник (competitor with the same objective) · hy հակառակորդ (competitor with the same objective) · th คู่แข่ง (competitor with the same objective) · tr emsal (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · fr rivale (competitor with the same objective) · am ተወዳዳሪ (competitor with the same objective) · sh рѝва̄лка (competitor with the same objective) · cs rivalka (competitor with the same objective) · tg ҳариф (competitor with the same objective) · ro rival (competitor with the same objective) · ota رقیب (competitor with the same objective) · de Rivalin (competitor with the same objective) · tr rakip (competitor with the same objective) · sk súper (competitor with the same objective) · et võistleja (competitor with the same objective) · bg конкуре́нт (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · tg рақиб (competitor with the same objective) · az rəqib (competitor with the same objective) · hi प्रतियोगी (competitor with the same objective) · km គូប្រជែង (competitor with the same objective) · sk rivalka (competitor with the same objective) · sh конку̀рент (competitor with the same objective) · lo ຄູ່ແຂ່ງ (competitor with the same objective) · my အပြိုင် (competitor with the same objective) · sh rìvāl (competitor with the same objective) · it antagonista (competitor with the same objective) · it rivale (competitor with the same objective) · tr eş (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · sk sok (competitor with the same objective) · sh konkùrent (competitor with the same objective) · de Gegner (competitor with the same objective) · ko 경쟁자 (competitor with the same objective) · ms saingan (competitor with the same objective) · bg конкуре́нт (competitor with the same objective) · eo rivalo (competitor with the same objective) · ota رقیب (someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another) · be су́парка (competitor with the same objective) · sv konkurrent (competitor with the same objective) · es rival (competitor with the same objective) · sk rival (competitor with the same objective) · bg съпе́рница (competitor with the same objective) · ar مُنَافِس (competitor with the same objective) · ru сопе́рник (competitor with the same objective) · bg съпе́рник (competitor with the same objective) · ur رَقِیب (competitor with the same objective) · be супраці́ўніца (competitor with the same objective) · uk конкуре́нт (competitor with the same objective) · kmr reqîb (competitor with the same objective) · ms lawan (competitor with the same objective)
Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”). By surface analysis, Latin rīvus + -al.
Meanings
(transitive) To oppose or compete with.
to rival somebody in love
To be equal to, or match, or to surpass another.
But the Waverley is still the best-placed station of any British city, and gives the arriving stranger a first impression rivalled in Europe only by the exclusively watery station approach at Venice. 1941 January, C. Hamilton Ellis, “The Scottish Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 1:
The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, […]. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
To strive to equal or excel; to emulate.
to rival thunder in its rapid course 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
ru сопе́рничать (to oppose or compete with) · it competere (to oppose or compete with) · bg съпернича (to oppose or compete with) · fr rivaliser (to oppose or compete with) · fi kilpailla (to oppose or compete with) · el παραβγαίνω (to oppose or compete with) · sa स्पर्धते (to oppose or compete with) · ru конкури́ровать (to oppose or compete with) · ota رقابت ایتمك (to oppose or compete with) · hu verseng (to oppose or compete with) · it rivaleggiare (to oppose or compete with) · mi tauwhāinga (to oppose or compete with) · mi taumāhekeheke (to oppose or compete with) · bg равнявам се (To be equal to, or match) · uk супе́рничати (to oppose or compete with) · uk конкурувати (to oppose or compete with) · de rivalisieren (to oppose or compete with) · mi kātata (To be equal to, or match) · el ανταγωνίζομαι (to oppose or compete with) · hu rivalizál (to oppose or compete with) · mi tāwhai (To be equal to, or match)