1
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a chess match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in marriages
a union representing a special kind of social and legal partnership between two people
from all appearances those two have got a good match there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in halves
either of a pair matched in one or more qualities
I can't find the match to this sock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in equivalents
one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
for a wife he wants a woman who will be his match in every aspect of their lives
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in pictures
something or someone that strongly resembles another
Erin is so nearly my exact match you'd think she must be my twin and not just my cousin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the discussion soon degenerated into a pointless shouting match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complements
to be the exact counterpart of
does this handbag's shade of blue match my navy blue pants? the rare blood type that exactly matched that of the transplant recipient
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in meets
to produce something equal to (as in quality or value)
no one has ever been able to match that novel for its portrayal of the horrors of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of matches
Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
In addition to the five group stage matches, AT&T Stadium will host four matches in the knockout round, including a semifinal.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
Congo, Jamaica, Iraq and Bolivia made it through to the final two matches.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
MetLife Stadium is hosting several World Cup matches, including the final, in June and July.
—Nick Caloway, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Each team plays three group matches.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Croatian failed to win any of his five Premier League matches, with his only victory in charge coming against Atletico Madrid when Tottenham were already effectively out of the Champions League.
—Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
When a customer completes an order online with a participating retailer, SameDay Local automatically matches them to the appropriate vehicle and driver, assigns the route and provides them live near-real-time tracking updates from pickup to delivery.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Pick the one that matches your skin’s tolerance level and your routine’s complexity, then give it consistent nightly use.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
While the overall arc of the narrative matches the details laid out in the official crash investigation carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board, much of what’s shown onscreen is creative license, since there was no cockpit voice recording of what happened during the flight.
—Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Does the term mean software that matches the cognitive abilities of an average human?
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Not everyone’s character matches their book cover.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County & the Inland Empire is a nonprofit organization that matches underserved youths and young adults with mentors to improve outcomes like growth and development, education, and social and economic opportunity in the community.
—Magda Liszewska, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
This matches what sources told Reuters on Monday.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
For Deedson, his dream would be to take the pitch for Haiti’s World Cup matches in Boston, Philadelphia, and Atlanta in front of his childhood friends.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
In addition to the five group stage matches, AT&T Stadium will host four matches in the knockout round, including a semifinal.
—Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026
Congo, Jamaica, Iraq and Bolivia made it through to the final two matches.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
MetLife Stadium is hosting several World Cup matches, including the final, in June and July.
—Nick Caloway, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Each team plays three group matches.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Croatian failed to win any of his five Premier League matches, with his only victory in charge coming against Atletico Madrid when Tottenham were already effectively out of the Champions League.
—Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
The channel also features deal segments tied to Amazon shopping events and everyday deal streams, alongside licensed lifestyle programming that matches Amazon’s key shopping categories.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
When a customer completes an order online with a participating retailer, SameDay Local automatically matches them to the appropriate vehicle and driver, assigns the route and provides them live near-real-time tracking updates from pickup to delivery.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Pick the one that matches your skin’s tolerance level and your routine’s complexity, then give it consistent nightly use.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
While the overall arc of the narrative matches the details laid out in the official crash investigation carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board, much of what’s shown onscreen is creative license, since there was no cockpit voice recording of what happened during the flight.
—Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Does the term mean software that matches the cognitive abilities of an average human?
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Not everyone’s character matches their book cover.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County & the Inland Empire is a nonprofit organization that matches underserved youths and young adults with mentors to improve outcomes like growth and development, education, and social and economic opportunity in the community.
—Magda Liszewska, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
This matches what sources told Reuters on Monday.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matches
Noun
-
That appears clear in recent March Madness tournaments, where good teams are winning at historically high rates.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
During tournaments, this mouse is incredibly reliable thanks to its fast response rate, enabling quicker keystrokes and actions.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And this is certainly not the sort of outfit that does anything by halves—the four-floor spa is one of the city’s finest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Indiana responded with one of the most dominant halves in NCAA Tournament history, outscoring the Wolverines 57-33 to rally for an 86-68 victory in Philadelphia.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rock stars and their equivalents in other genres often develop their craft in obscurity before being discovered; idols are apprentices, trained exhaustively by their management companies.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Short-term money market funds and cash equivalents can offer places to hide from the volatility.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Two television cameras looking down from an altitude of about 450 miles made initial pictures of earthly cloud patterns on the satellite’s second orbitable trip.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After walking into her personal office to find Gordon redecorating the room with pictures of herself, Gomez sits down to review her assistant's to-do list for the day.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Others are places of conflict caused by rivalries between countries or peoples, disputes over national resources, or disagreements about the past.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
If festive pride persists, it is no longer connected to a country, empire, culture, or race, but the unique traditions of individual municipalities, pitted against one another in fierce but friendly, sportsmanlike rivalries.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This complements AiOnX’s current development sites in Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and the UK, creating a more comprehensive and strategically aligned pan-European platform.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The neutral color palette complements the open, airy space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But a new generation of technology marries computer analysis with cameras or the same electromagnetic fields as metal detectors to detect knives and guns.—
Jeff Amy,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But a new generation of technology marries computer analysis with cameras or the same electromagnetic fields as metal detectors to detect knives and guns.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Senate meets for an early pro-forma session Thursday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Money meets group ideals as the Moon moves through your 2nd House of Resources and squares wise Jupiter in your 11th House of Friendship.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Matches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matches. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
