DUELS Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

duels 1 of 2

noun

plural of duel

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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duels

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of duel

as in battles

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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 duels

Noun

Cherry went 74 minutes in Sunday’s loss to Racing Louisville, recording four defensive clearances and winning three of her four aerial duels as Angel City lost for the first time in four games. — Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 31 July 2026 Physicality is an important aspect in winning such duels, but Stones’ timing is often impeccable in the crucial moments. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 July 2026 As with many Latin American and African teams, Paraguay defend deep and are extremely physical in duels and aerial battles. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026 On Wednesday, Tillman won nine duels — the most of anyone who played on either side — and had five dangerous interceptions, a metric used in soccer that accounts for stopping an attack. — Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 Jude Bellingham is also making his presence known in the midfield, helping England to win the majority of the duels so far. — Nbc News, NBC news, 28 June 2026 However, Azula intercepts the group and duels Aang and Katara with Zuko, who nearly had a change of heart after opening up to Katara. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 June 2026 Yes, purists love pitching duels. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for duels

Noun

Week 1 is full of national showdowns and nonregion rivalries.

— Jack Leo, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026
However, in recent years bilateral ties have plunged, marred by frequent tit-for-tat trade tensions and growing geopolitical rivalries.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of rivalries

Verb

Meta has swooned as the company fights litigation alleging that the firm seeded addictive behavior in children.

— Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
With only three ingredients—water, sodium chloride, and hypochlorous acid—the on-the-go spritzer soothes skin and fights bacteria.

— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of fights

Noun

Contrast that with eventual EFL champions Coventry City (48 in 49 in all competitions) and Championship runners-up Ipswich Town (50 in 49).

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
The discourse has spanned from high school sports to international competitions and pro leagues like the WNBA, where a pair of male former NBA players are currently claiming to identify as women to pressure a more definitive policy.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of competitions

Verb

Zuckerberg also published a lengthy manifesto laying out his vision and approach to AI, attempting to assuage wide-ranging concerns about AI as the company combats criticisms about its data center buildout and AI smart glasses.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
One of the ways Landers combats this tendency is to be radically transparent.

— Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of combats

Noun

Panettiere’s sudden death sent waves of grief from Hollywood to Ukraine, where the father of their child mourned the beloved actress and activist who battled a host of struggles.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
The movie's themes of addiction, redemption and spiritual transformation also prompted Sorbo to discuss his belief that some struggles can involve more than physical or psychological factors.

— Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of struggles

Verb

Relatedly, Wrigley View Rooftop contends there is no legal support for the proposition that the Cubs gain a property right merely because the two businesses might be competing for people willing to pay to watch Cubs games.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Bragg's office contends that the state charges, including murder and firearms offenses, involve different legal elements and criminal conduct than federal charges, which alleged Mangione traveled across state lines to stalk and kill Thompson.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of contends

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dueling

duels

duende

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“Duels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duels. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of duels

noun

verb

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