The contestant you hope to defeat:
— He had respect for his rivals.

synonyms: challenger, competition, competitor, contender.

Roget 710: opponent, antagonist, adversary; adverse party, opposition; enemy etc. 891; the other side; assailant.    oppositionist, obstructive; brawler, wrangler, brangler^†, disputant; filibuster [U.S.], obstructionist.    malcontent; Jacobin, Fenian; demagogue, reactionist^†.    rival, competitor.    bete noir [Fr.].    ... show more

Roget 726: combatant; disputant, controversialist, polemic, litigant, belligerent; competitor, rival, corrival^†; fighter, assailant; champion, Paladin; mosstrooper^†, swashbuckler fire eater, duelist, bully, bludgeon man, rough.    prize fighter, pugilist, boxer, bruiser, the fancy, gladiator, athlete, wrestler; fighting-cock, game-cock; warrior, soldier, fighting man, Amazon, man at arms, armigerent^†; campaigner, veteran; swordsman, sabreur^†, redcoat, military man, Rajput.    armed force, troops, soldiery, military forces, sabaoth^†, the army, standing army, regulars, the line, troops of the line, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, trainband, fencible^†; auxiliary, bersagliere^†, brave; garde-nationale, garde-royale [Fr.]; minuteman [U.S.]; auxiliary forces, reserve forces; reserves, posse comitatus [Lat.], national guard, gendarme, beefeater; guards, guardsman; yeomen of the guard, life guards, household troops.    janissary; myrmidon; Mama, Mameluke; spahee^†, spahi^†, Cossack, Croat, Pandoz.    irregular, guerilla, partisan, condottiere^†; franctireur [Fr.], tirailleur^†, bashi-bazouk; [guerilla organization names: list], vietminh, vietcong; shining path; contras; huk, hukbalahap.    mercenary, soldier of fortune; hired gun, gunfighter, gunslinger; bushwhacker, free lance, companion; Hessian.    hit man torpedo, soldier.    levy, draught; Landwehr [G.], Landsturm [G.]; conscript, recruit, cadet, raw levies.    infantry, infantryman, private, private soldier, foot soldier; Tommy Atkins^†, rank and file, peon, trooper, sepoy^†, legionnaire, legionary, cannon fodder, food for powder; officer etc. (commander) 745; subaltern, ensign, standard bearer; spearman, pikeman^†; spear bearer; halberdier^†, lancer; musketeer, carabineer^†, rifleman, jager [G.], sharpshooter, yager^†, skirmisher; grenadier, fusileer^†; archer, bowman.    horse and foot; horse soldier; cavalry, horse, artillery, horse artillery, light horse, voltigeur [Fr.], uhlan, mounted rifles, dragoon, hussar; light dragoon, heavy dragoon; heavy; cuirassier [Fr.]; Foot Guards, Horse Guards.    gunner, cannoneer, bombardier, artilleryman^†, matross^†; sapper, sapper and miner; engineer; light infantry, rifles, chasseur [Fr.], zouave; military train, coolie.    army, corps d'armee [Fr.], host, division, battalia^†, column, wing, detachment, garrison, flying column, brigade, regiment, corps, battalion, sotnia^†, squadron, company, platoon, battery, subdivision, section, squad; piquet, picket, guard, rank, file; legion, phalanx, cohort; cloud of skirmishers.    war horse, charger, destrier.    marine, man-of-war's man etc. (sailor) 269; navy, wooden walls, naval forces, fleet, flotilla, armada, squadron.    [ships of war] man-of-war; destroyer; submarine; minesweeper; torpedo-boat, torpedo-destroyer; patrol torpedo boat, PT boat; torpedo-catcher, war castle, H.   M.S.; battleship, battle wagon, dreadnought, line of battle ship, ship of the line; aircraft carrier, carrier.    flattop [Coll.]; helicopter carrier; missile platform, missile boat; ironclad, turret ship, ram, monitor, floating battery; first-rate, frigate, sloop of war, corvette, gunboat, bomb vessel; flagship, guard ship, cruiser; armored cruiser, protected cruiser; privateer.    [supporting ships] tender; store ship, troop ship; transport, catamaran; merchant marine.    ... show more

Dutch: concurent, tegenstander, concurrent, rivaal, mededinger, uitdager, concurrentie
Polish: rywal, przeciwnik, kontrpartner, konkurent, współzawodnik

Be equal to in quality or ability:
— Nothing can rival cotton for durability.

synonyms: equal, match, touch.

Roget 873: be conscious of glory; be proud of etc. (pride) 878; exult etc. (boast) 884; be vain of etc. (vanity) 880.    be distinguished etc. adj.; shine etc. (light) 420; shine forth, figure; cut a figure, make a dash, make a splash.    rival, surpass; outshine, outrival, outvie^†, outjump; emulate, eclipse; throw into the shade, cast into the shade; overshadow.    live, flourish, glitter, flaunt, gain honor, acquire honor etc. n.; play first fiddle etc. (be of importance) 642, bear the palm, bear the bell; lead the way; take precedence, take the wall of; gain laurels, win laurels, gain spurs, gain golden opinions etc. (approbation) 931; take one's degree, pass one's examination.    make a noise, make some noise, make a noise in the world; leave one's mark, exalt one's horn, blow one's horn, star it, have a run, be run after; come into vogue, come to the front; raise one's head.    enthrone, signalize, immortalize, deify, exalt to the skies; hand one's name down to posterity.    consecrate; dedicate to, devote to; enshrine, inscribe, blazon, lionize, blow the trumpet, crown with laurel.    confer honor on, reflect honor on etc. v.; shed a luster on; redound.   to one's honor, ennoble.    give honor to, do honor to, pay honor to, render honor to; honor, accredit, pay regard to, dignify, glorify; sing praises to etc. (approve) 931; lock up to; exalt, aggrandize, elevate, nobilitate [Lat.].    ... show more

Roget 708: oppose, counteract, run counter to; withstand etc. (resist) 719; control etc. (restrain) 751; hinder etc. 706; antagonize, oppugn, fly in the face of, go dead against, kick against, fall afoul of, run afoul of; set against, pit against; face, confront, cope with; make a stand, make a dead set against; set oneself against, set one's face against; protest against, vote against, raise one's voice against; disfavor, turn one's back upon; set at naught, slap in the face, slam the door in one's face.    be at cross purposes; play at cross purposes; counterwork^†, countermine; thwart, overthwart^†; work against, undermine.    stem, breast, encounter; stem the tide, breast the tide, stem the current, stem the flood; buffet the waves; beat up against, make head against; grapple with; kick against the pricks etc. (resist) 719; contend etc. 720; do battle with etc. (warfare) 722, do battle against.    contradict, contravene; belie; go against, run against, beat against, militate against; come in conflict with.    emulate etc. (compete) 720; rival, spoil one's trade.    ... show more

Roget 648: be beneficial etc. adj.; produce good, do good etc. 618; profit etc. (be of use) 644; benefit; confer a benefit etc. 618.    be the making of, do a world of good, make a man of.    produce a good effect; do a good turn, confer an obligation; improve etc. 658.    do no harm, break no bones.    be good etc. adj.; excel, transcend etc. (be superior) 33; bear away the bell.    stand the proof, stand the test; pass muster, pass an examination.    challenge comparison, vie, emulate, rival.    ... show more

Roget 720: contend; contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle; spar, square; exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs; fib^†, justle^†, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence; skirmish; pickeer^†; fight etc. (war) 722; wrangle etc. (quarrel) 713.    contend with &c., grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush etc. n.. with, tilt with; encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw^†, run a tilt at; oppose etc. 708; reluct.    join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand; take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet; enter the lists; couch one's lance; give satisfaction; appeal to arms; etc. (warfare) 722.    lay about one; break the peace.    compete with, cope with, vie with, race with; outvie^†, emulate, rival; run a race; contend for &c., stipulate for, stickle for; insist upon, make a point of.    ... show more

Dutch: evenaren, opwegen

Be the rival of, be in competition with.

Dutch: beconcurreren