rivalry
B2Neutral to formal; common in journalism, academic writing, and everyday conversation about competition.
Definition
Meaning
A state of competition between two or more people, groups, or entities, each striving to achieve the same goal or to be superior to the others.
A prolonged or ongoing competitive relationship, often involving mutual antagonism, that can exist in various contexts such as sports, business, politics, academia, or personal relationships.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word implies a sustained, direct, and often emotional competition. It suggests a history or ongoing nature, not a single contest. The competitors (rivals) are typically seen as being of comparable standing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or spelling. The word is equally common in both varieties. Minor differences may exist in typical collocational contexts (e.g., favoured sports).
Connotations
Identical connotations of sustained, often intense competition.
Frequency
Similar high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
rivalry between A and Brivalry for something (e.g., supremacy, control)rivalry with someonerivalry over somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A rivalry as old as the hills”
- “A rivalry that knows no bounds”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to competition between companies for market share, customers, or talent (e.g., 'The smartphone rivalry between Apple and Samsung is legendary.').
Academic
Used to describe competing theories, schools of thought, or researchers (e.g., 'The academic rivalry between the two professors led to significant breakthroughs.').
Everyday
Commonly used for sports teams, siblings, or personal competitions (e.g., 'There's a friendly rivalry between our two departments at work.').
Technical
Less common; in biology/ecology, can describe competition between species for resources.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The two tech giants constantly rival each other for market dominance.
American English
- No team can rival their consistent performance over the last decade.
adjective
British English
- The rival football clubs have a historic derby this weekend.
American English
- She works for a rival firm across town.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The rivalry between the two football teams is very old.
- There is a sibling rivalry between my brother and me.
- The historic rivalry between the two universities makes their annual match very exciting.
- Friendly rivalry at work can improve everyone's performance.
- The political rivalry between the two candidates grew increasingly bitter as the election approached.
- Their professional rivalry began when they were both up for the same promotion.
- The centuries-old regional rivalry over the territory has been a source of constant diplomatic tension.
- The intense rivalry for supremacy in the semiconductor industry drives relentless innovation and aggressive pricing strategies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of two RIVAL cars (RIV-al-ry) racing side-by-side on a track, in a long and intense race for victory.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS WAR / A RACE (e.g., 'a bitter rivalry', 'a rivalry that heated up').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'соперничество' in every context; for less intense competition, 'конкуренция' might be more accurate.
- Do not confuse with 'вражда' (enmity/feud), which implies stronger hatred.
- Note that 'rivalry' is a noun; the direct adjective is 'rival' (not 'rivalrous' in common usage).
Common Mistakes
- Using it for a one-time event (use 'contest' or 'match').
- Misspelling as 'rivarly'.
- Using the non-standard adjective 'rivalrous' in everyday contexts (use 'rival' as in 'rival companies').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies a 'rivalry'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be neutral or even positive. 'Friendly rivalry' or 'healthy rivalry' describes competition that is motivating and respectful, not hostile.
'Competition' is a broader, more general term for any contest. 'Rivalry' implies a specific, ongoing, and often personal competitive relationship between known parties.
No, 'rivalry' is only a noun. The related verb is 'to rival', meaning to be comparable to or compete with.
At least two. It is typically a binary relationship (between A and B), but can involve multiple parties (e.g., 'rivalry among several tech startups').