Definition

Adjective: 1. Characterized by or involving competition; eager to surpass others: Describes a person, attitude, or behavior that is competitive and strives to outdo or excel over others. 2. (Economics) Of a good: rivalrous in consumption: Describes a type of good where one person's use of it reduces its availability for others (often used in the phrase "rivalrous good").

Usage

The adjective "rivalrous" is used to describe a competitive nature or, in economic contexts, the characteristic of a good. It is a formal term. * It can describe a person's character: a rivalrous individual. * It can describe an atmosphere or relationship: a rivalrous environment. * In economics, it classifies types of goods: a rivalrous resource.

Examples

• General Use:

  • The rivalrous spirit among the athletes pushed them all to achieve new personal bests.
  • Their friendship turned rivalrous when they both applied for the same leadership position.
  • He denied having a rivalrous attitude toward his successful colleague.

• Economic Use:

  • A piece of food is a rivalrous good because if one person eats it, another cannot.
  • Clean air is often considered a non-rivalrous resource.

Advanced Usage

• "rivalrous competition": Intense competition where participants are directly trying to outdo each other.
  • The market was defined by rivalrous competition between the two tech giants.
• "rivalrous consumption": (Economics) The property of a good where its consumption by one individual prevents simultaneous consumption by another.
  • The concept of rivalrous consumption is key to distinguishing private goods from public goods.

Variants and Related Words

• Rivalry (n): A state of competition or antagonism between individuals or groups.
  • There is a long-standing rivalry between the two universities.
• Rival (n/v): (n) A person or thing competing with another. (v) To seem or be as good as; to compete with.
  • She defeated her main rival. (n)
  • No computer can rival a human brain for complex pattern recognition. (v)

Synonyms

• Competitive: Having a strong desire to compete and be more successful than others.
• Emulous (literary): Eager or ambitious to equal or surpass another.
• Contending: Struggling or competing against others.

Antonyms

• Cooperative: Involving mutual assistance in working toward a common goal.
• Collaborative: Produced or conducted by two or more parties working together.
• Nonrivalrous (Economics): (Of a good) Not diminished or made unavailable by use.

Adjective

1. eager to surpass others