rival

The definition of a rival is someone who competes with you in some way, or can equal or surpass another.

(noun)

A person who competes against you for the first place price is an example of your rival.
When two hotels offer virtually the same features, each hotel is a rival of the other hotel.

Rival means to compete.

(verb)

When you compete with someone to win first prize, this is an example of a situation where you rival that person.

See rival in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a person who tries to get or do the same thing as another, or to equal or surpass another; competitor
a person or thing that can equal or surpass another in some way; person or thing that can bear comparison: plastics and other rivals of many metals
Obsolete an associate or companion in some duty

Origin: Fr < L rivalis, orig., one living near or using the same stream as another < rivus, brook < IE *reie-, to flow < base *er-: see rise

adjective

acting as a rival; competing

intransitive verb

Archaic to be a rival; compete (with)

See rival in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
One that equals or almost equals another in a particular respect.
Obsolete A companion or an associate in a particular duty.

verb ri·valed or ri·valled, ri·val·ing or ri·val·ling, ri·vals

verb, transitive

To attempt to equal or surpass.
To be the equal of; match: “They achieved more than they had ever dreamed, lending a magic to their family story that no tale or ordinary life could possibly rival” (Doris Kearns Goodwin).

verb, intransitive

To be a competitor or rival; compete.

Origin:

Origin: Latin rīvālis, one using the same stream as another, a rival

Origin: , from rīvus, stream; see rei- in Indo-European roots

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