as in rivalries
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 duels
Beren Cross, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Those duels couldn’t hold a candle to the Giants’ 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night, a victory that served as Vitello’s first exposure to the historic rivalry in the regular season.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
There seems to be a mutual respect between the two sides, who are often complimentary of one another during and after their duels.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 18 Apr. 2026
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
This traces, in part, to those practice duels with Marciulionis, whose patience and persistence through two bumpy seasons ultimately yielded two highly productive seasons.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
No Leeds player won more than his eight duels.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Those duels couldn’t hold a candle to the Giants’ 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night, a victory that served as Vitello’s first exposure to the historic rivalry in the regular season.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
There seems to be a mutual respect between the two sides, who are often complimentary of one another during and after their duels.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 18 Apr. 2026
In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
This traces, in part, to those practice duels with Marciulionis, whose patience and persistence through two bumpy seasons ultimately yielded two highly productive seasons.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels
Noun
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Over the course of three decades, multiple law enforcement agencies tried to crack the case as conspiracy theories involving complex gang and music-related rivalries swirled.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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The film traces his long-running bid to step out of Chun’s shadow and claim the top seat himself, examining the web of alliances, rivalries, and institutional maneuvers that defines his ascent.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite being projected to be the first overall pick, Mendoza skipped the in-person draft in Pittsburgh to stay in Florida with his mother, who battles multiple sclerosis (MS) and is bound to a wheelchair.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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As Halsey battles addiction and Luke confronts his own darkness, their growing feelings force them to question if love is worth the risk.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sharp debate in Union Park is only the latest in a series of thorny confrontations about how best to manage homelessness in the Central Florida region, where housing costs are high, shelter space is scarce, and residents are concerned about people living in public spaces.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
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The massive expansion of enforcement operations drew local resistance from activists, leading to clashes with federal agents and the deaths of residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti during confrontations with ICE and Border Patrol.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ever since, fans have been hooked to see how the friend group navigate fights big and small.—
Colleen Kratofil,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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The 31-year-old McKee (24-2), who fights out of Long Beach, continues his pursuit to reclaim his place atop the 145-pound division.—
Brian Martin,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Might the physical toil of the other competitions play a part in the final destination of the league title?—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Once the films are finished, one filmmaker will be chosen to receive an additional $10,000 grant and invited to join the AGBO Storytellers Collective, an alumni network of emerging filmmakers who have won AGBO fellowships or competitions.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Regular physical activity helps reduce blood pressure, eases arthritic pain, combats chronic illness and lifts your mood.—
Helen Dennis,
Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Aeration helps oxygen reach roots and combats the effects of compacting, but making sure your lawn continues to breathe is key to keeping it consistently green.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His personal struggles growing up with an absent dad and being a young man of color who comes from a low-income family soon take a toll on him.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Horner's mother testified last week, telling the jury about her own struggles with drugs and spending parts of Horner's childhood in jail.—
Steven Rosenbaum,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Then the club lost its first match, 2-1 in Portland, on the way to dropping eight points in the past three league contests, each against conference opponents.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Teams such as the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx are holding three exhibition contests before their season opener.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duels. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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