Rival
/ˈraɪvəl/
nounverbadjectiveB2
Definition
A rival is someone or something that tries to be better than another in the same area, like sports, business, or school. When you rival with someone, you compete or try to win against them. As an adjective, it describes things that are in competition or similar in power or status.
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See It in Action
Noun: A person or group competing for the same goal
- •The two companies are rivals in the phone market.
- •She has been his rival since school days.
- •The rivals fought hard during the final match.
Verb: To compete with someone or something
- •The new product rivals the best in the market.
- •No one can rival her skill in painting.
Adjective: Describes something that competes or is similar in competition
- •They launched a rival brand to challenge the leader.
- •The rival team arrived early for practice.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "rival" like "friend" but instead of helping, you try to be better or win against them
- ✓Picture two runners side by side in a race, both wanting to finish first
- ✓It's the feeling of wanting to be the best or not wanting to lose to someone else you often see or know
- ✓Sounds like "RI-val" → imagine two people raising their hands to say "I will win!"
- ✓Think of famous rivals like Batman and Joker, always trying to beat each other
- ✓NOT like "enemy" (which means hate or want to harm), a rival is more about competition, not dislike
- ✓NOT like "teammate" (who helps you), a rival tries to win over you
- ✓NOT like "friend" (who supports you), rival is about competition and challenge
Try Other Words
- •Competitor: a person or group trying to win or be better (Use when talking about general competition)
- •Opponent: someone who competes against you, especially in sports or games (Use when focusing on direct contest or fight)
- •Challenger: a person trying to take a position or title from someone else (Use when someone tries to replace a leader)
- •Enemy: a person who wants to harm or fight you (Use only when there is dislike or hate, not just competition)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) — "rival" comes as a whole word
- •Etymology: From Latin "rivalis," meaning "one who uses the same river as another," implying competition for the same resource
- •Historical development: Originally meant people sharing water rights, later changed to mean competitors or opponents
- •Modern usage: Used broadly for any person or thing competing with another in many areas like sports, business, or personal challenges
Reflect & Connect
•Can two people be rivals and friends at the same time? How does that change the meaning of rivalry?
•How does having a rival affect your motivation to do better or improve yourself?
Fill in the blanks
1.The two companies became rivals because they both wanted to ___ the same customers.
2.When you have a strong rival, you often feel more ___ to improve your skills.
3.Unlike an enemy, a rival is someone you ___ respect but still want to beat.
4.The new smartphone rivals the ___ brand in features and price.
5.She became his rival in the competition, but they still ___ each other outside the contest.
6.In sports, a rival team usually ___ hard to win against their opponent.
7.When a product is called a rival, it means it tries to ___ with another product in the market.