A rival is someone competing against you for the same goal, whether in sports, academics, business, or any other area where people strive to be the best. Your rival in a spelling bee wants to win just as much as you do. Two companies selling similar products are rivals for customers' money. Rival schools face off in basketball games, each hoping to claim victory.

The word carries a sense of ongoing competition rather than a single contest. Your rival is someone you compete against repeatedly, someone whose presence pushes you to improve. The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees has lasted over a century, with each team constantly trying to outperform the other.

Interestingly, having a rival often makes you better at what you do. When you know someone else is working just as hard, you push yourself further. Two students who are academic rivals might both study harder because each knows the other is doing the same. Good rivals respect each other's abilities even while competing fiercely.

As a verb, to rival something means to equal or match it in quality. You might say that nothing rivals the taste of fresh strawberries in summer, meaning nothing matches how good they taste.