What does "duel" mean?
Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
Duel
/ˈˈd͡ʒuːəl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
- Grammar: duel is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: affair of honor, affaire d'honneur, argue, battle.
- Useful contrasts: accord, agree, agreement.
- Usage evidence: Kyouichi Saionji, who he supposed would win the duel, has lost.
How to use "duel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "duel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "duel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "duel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "duel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "duel" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "affair of honor" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "duel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
"I have often thought since, how different my fate might have been, had I not fallen in love with Nora at that early age; and had I not flung the wine in Quin’s face, and so brought on the duel."
- 2 any struggle between two skillful opponents (individuals or groups) wordnet
- 3 Historically, the wager of battle (judicial combat).
- 4 a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor wordnet
- 5 Any battle or struggle between two contending persons, forces, groups, or ideas. broadly
"a sniper duel"
Verb
- 1 To engage in a battle.
"The two dogs were duelling for the bone."
- 2 fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Kyouichi Saionji, who he supposed would win the duel, has lost."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "duel"?
Common synonyms include: affair of honor, affaire d'honneur, argue, battle, battle, bout.
How do you use "duel" in a sentence?
Kyouichi Saionji, who he supposed would win the duel, has lost.
How do you pronounce "duel"?
Pronounced /ˈˈd͡ʒuːəl/.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin duellum (“fight between two men, duel”), itself from Old Latin duellum (“war, fight”), which survived in Classical Latin as a rare byform of bellum and was later reinterpreted as “duel” by unetymological association with duo (“two”). May have entered English through Middle French duel.