matchups

noun

plural of matchup
as in tournaments
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize a boxing matchup that promises to be a sportswriter's dream

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 matchups Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, himself a two-time All-Pro, presented Jefferson plenty of challenges in their one-on-one matchups. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 The trio gives Fort Worth-area football fans what should be a trio of contenders and a ton of high-stakes playoff matchups within a reasonable distance. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026 Thankfully, Samuel Basallo and Nathaniel Lowe provide bettors with eye-catching odds to hit home runs in favorable matchups and homer-friendly ballparks tonight. — Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The Sparks are 0-2 against Connecticut this season, losing both road matchups. — John W. Davis, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2026 Carr is efficient with his operation and understands how to find vulnerable matchups. — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Between the July and August polling, more states hosted primaries and solidified their candidates for November's general election matchups. — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 Bugs, with his carrot-chomping patter, naturally brought out the character’s talkative side in their occasional matchups. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026 The schedules for opening night and Christmas already were unveiled this week, so those two games were among the most intriguing matchups not yet known. — Brian Mahoney, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matchups
  1. tournaments
  2. games
  3. events
  4. competitions
  5. matches
Noun
  • Companies that own tournaments and also represent players, such as IMG, will use them to give their up-and-coming stars the exposure that can lead to lucrative deals.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike the other two tournaments, the BMW Championship is the only PGA Tour event that changes venues year to year, and this year’s host is a former major championship venue.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of tournaments
Noun
  • Sir Bobby Charlton’s 758-games appearance record for Manchester United was long considered insurmountable.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Arike Ogunbowale added 17 while Alanna Smith had 13 and five rebounds for the Wings, who lost for the fifth time in six games.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of games
Noun
  • Still, the investigation into his murder had seemed to grow so cold that even many close to the events of that night believed the case would never be solved, much less prosecuted.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • There have been concerns about safety at these large-scale events.
    — Paul Burton, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of events
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
Noun
  • Nashville improves to 7-1-1 in its last nine matches and beat the Red Bulls on the road for the first time after entering with a 0-2-2 record through their first four trips.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Houston is 6-0-2 in its last eight matches and remains the hottest team in the league with a 10-2-2 run over its previous 14.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of matches

Browse Nearby Words

matchup
matchups
mate
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Cite this Entry

“Matchups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matchups. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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