beauty contest

noun

1

a

: an assemblage of girls or women at which judges select the most beautiful

called also beauty pageant

b

: a contest or competitive situation that is likened to a traditional beauty contest especially in involving judgments made on the basis of physical attractiveness or popular appeal

… an elite automotive expo and beauty contest where cars of only the highest caliber …

—Hannah Elliott

2

US politics : a presidential primary election in which the popular vote does not determine the number of convention delegates a candidate receives

Mr. Ford and Mr. Reagan are listed in the Republican preferential primary or "beauty contest."

—Charles Mohr

Examples of beauty contest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cardinale began her movie-career at the age of 17 after winning a beauty contest in Tunisia, where she was born of Sicilian parents who had emigrated to North Africa. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025

Jourdheuil spent 12 years at Endemol Shine Group, promoting the Miss France beauty contest, while Lapierre came from a pharmaceutical marketing background. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025

In a country where camels are paraded in beauty contests, desert animals are both cultural heritage and prized assets, driving a lucrative breeding industry. —Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025

What Happens to the Infected Rabbits? Other than disqualifying the rabbits from a beauty contest, the growths that result from the infection are generally not fatal. —Matthew Binnicker, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1a