as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
a duel for the title of captain of the team
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Recent Examples of duel
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Lauren Peller, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2025
The dueling Senate votes are the latest political messaging exercise in a Congress that has operated almost entirely on partisan terms, as Republicans pushed through a massive tax and spending cuts bill this summer using budget maneuvers that eliminated the need for Democratic votes.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duel
Noun
If that’s not enough, besides scoring a career-best 34 points against the Dallas Mavericks in a duel with fellow Duke product Cooper Flagg, Knueppel became the third rookie in franchise history to record 300 or more points along with at least 100 rebounds in a calendar month.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 3 Feb. 2026
But landing big jumps in competition, when adrenaline duels with cortisol, is more difficult.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Senate already rejected a clean three-year extension of the subsidies in a pair of dueling health care votes last week, though several Republican senators crossed the aisle to join all Democrats in supporting it.
—Lauren Peller, ABC News, 17 Dec. 2025
The dueling Senate votes are the latest political messaging exercise in a Congress that has operated almost entirely on partisan terms, as Republicans pushed through a massive tax and spending cuts bill this summer using budget maneuvers that eliminated the need for Democratic votes.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duel
Noun
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While Finland and Sweden may not have enjoyed quite the same level of Olympic success in women’s hockey as the US and Canada, the rivalry between the two Nordic countries is nonetheless a fiery one.—
Hannah Ryan,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
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The epic race between Stolz and de Boo is the latest in their budding rivalry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As a politicized national fight over waste, fraud and abuse led by Republicans have targeted California and its Democratic leadership, Bonta and other state officials have moved swiftly to combat the claims.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Officials have vowed to combat any similar US military action against Cuba.—
Bianna Golodryga,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The star of the cache was a near-complete Iron Age battle trumpet, or carnyx — used to blare eerie sounds in battle and rally troops against the enemy.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Alain Hamel is credited with catching the giant flatfish, which was pulled through the ice after a two-and-a-half hour battle.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For some people, dogs are a way to feel loved, to relieve pressures to have kids, to fight the drudgery of their job, to reduce the stress of the rat race and to connect with the outdoors.—
Margret Grebowicz,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
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Ask a Native person why Native people have volunteered to fight in the US’s wars overseas, including in Korea, my homeland, and Vietnam, the most recent nation of origin of many of my refugee friends.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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If Grosz’s first book, The Examined Life, was all about his patients’ personal lives and struggles, Love’s Labor—which is written in a similar way, as a series of case studies—is much more interested in his patients’ approach to love, specifically.—
Daisy Jones,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
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Continue reading … ROYAL RECKONING – Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie struggle with fallout from latest Epstein doc drop.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The department has made public millions of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act but has withheld millions more that officials contend would reveal the names of people who accused Epstein of abuse or cover the department's legal analysis of the case.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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But multiple former offensive linemen contended Campbell’s Super Bowl struggles were not due to his arms.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Khelif has appealed the new policy that will keep the athlete out of any competitions pending the results of genetic testing.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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During the second annual competition in October, the team from La Marmotte restaurant, also located downtown, won with a concoction of Nikka Vodka, Luxardo Espresso liqueur, Irish cream, and Count Chocula and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereals.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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The columnists argue that voters want a governor focused on state-level problem-solving rather than someone using the office as a platform for national positioning or raising their profile through constant partisan confrontation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duel. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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