duel

UK: /ˈdjuːəl/ US: /ˈduəl, ˈdju-/ ,(do̅o̅′əl, dyo̅o̅′-)

Inflections of 'duel' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

duels

v 3rd person singular

duelling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

dueling

v pres p (US)

duelled

v past (Mainly UK)

dueled

v past (US)

duelled

v past p (Mainly UK)

dueled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

du•el /ˈduəl, ˈdyu-/   n., v., -eled or -elled, -el•ing or -el•ling. 
n. [countable]

1. a fight between two persons with deadly weapons according to an accepted procedure.
2. a contest between two persons or teams:
   The game promises to be a real duel between quarterbacks.

v. 

3. to fight in a duel: [no object]
   They had been dueling for hours and finally called a draw.
   [~ + object]
   He dueled his opponent for hours.

du•el•er, du•el•ist, n. [countable] See -du-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

du•el  (do̅o̅′əl, dyo̅o̅′-), n., v., -eled, -el•ing or (esp. Brit.) -elled, -el•ling. 
n. 

1. a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, esp. to settle a private quarrel.
2. any contest between two persons or parties.

v.t., v.i. 

3. to fight in a duel.

• Medieval Latin duellum, Latin: earlier form of bellum war, probably maintained and given sense "duel'' by association with Latin duo two
• earlier duell 1585–95

du′el•is′tic*  [esp. Brit.,] du′el•lis′tic, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

duel / ˈdjuːəl/ noun

1. a prearranged combat with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of seconds and traditionally fought until one party was wounded or killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honour
2. a contest or conflict between two persons or parties

verb (duels, duelling, duelled) (duels, dueling, dueled)(intransitive)

1. to fight in a duel
2. to contest closely

Etymology: 15th Century: from Medieval Latin duellum, from Latin, poetical variant of bellum war; associated by folk etymology with Latin duo two

ˈdueller, ˈdueler noun

ˈduellist, ˈduelist noun