What does unrivalled mean?
Unrivalled is an adjective describing something that has no equal or serious competitor. It is especially used for exceptional achievement, quality, ability, success, or position: an unrivalled performance, an unrivalled record, or an unrivalled reputation. The word conveys not merely that something is very good, but that it stands above every alternative and has no genuine match. Its strongly positive and formal tone makes it suitable for emphatic praise, official statements, biographies, and reports, although it can sound rhetorical when used casually. In British English, the usual spelling is unrivalled; American English generally spells it unrivaled. The word is related to rival and ultimately to Latin rivalis, and it has long expressed the idea of being without a peer. Because it is an intensifying and absolute term, careful writers often rely on it where the evidence supports a genuinely exceptional comparison.
adjectiveHaving no equal or competitor; unmatched in quality, achievement, or position.
- Having no equal or competitor; unmatched in quality, achievement, or value.
- Holding the leading or most successful position, with no rival.
"Her performance was unrivalled, establishing a new standard for the competition."
"The team's unrivalled performance carried them through the final."
"The landscape offers an unrivalled view of the coast."
When something is unrivalled, there is no runner-up—not merely a close second.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How unrivalled is actually used
Formal and strongly positive, often implying an absolute or near-absolute comparison. British English uses unrivalled, while American English usually uses unrivaled.
Easily confused with unrivalled
Unrivaled is the American spelling of the British form unrivalled; both words have the same pronunciation and meaning.