How to pronounce rival
Say it like RY-vul. Rival has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce rival. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- RY
- vul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Rival pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- RYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- vulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of rival
American and British speakers say rival in essentially the same way: /ˈraɪvəl/ in the US and /ˈraɪvəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: RY-vul.
What does rival mean?
- the contestant you hope to defeat“he had respect for his rivals”“he wanted to know what the competition was doing”
- be equal to in quality or ability“Nothing can rival cotton for durability”“Your performance doesn't even touch that of your colleagues”
- be the rival of, be in competition with“we are rivaling for first place in the race”
Where does rival come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin rīvālis (literally “person using the same stream as another”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with rival
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of rival.
Questions about saying rival
How do you pronounce rival?
Say RY-vul. The American pronunciation is /ˈraɪvəl/. In British English it is /ˈraɪvəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in rival?
Rival has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (RY). Broken into parts: RY · vul.
Do Americans and Brits say rival the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈraɪvəl/ and the British form is /ˈraɪvəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.