competitor

noun

com·​pet·​i·​tor kəm-ˈpe-tə-tər 

: one that competes: such as

a

: rival

a fierce competitor on the soccer field

b

: one selling or buying goods or services in the same market as another

offering lower prices than our competitors

c

: an organism that lives in competition with another

The squid population increased dramatically when food competitors were depleted by heavy overfishing.

Synonyms of competitor

• contestant
• contender
• rival
• challenger

Examples of competitor in a Sentence

We offer better rates than our competitors.

There were more than 500 competitors in the race.

Recent Examples on the Web

Plaintiffs allege Pepsi monitored competitors’ retail pricing and took corrective action whenever Walmart’s price advantage was threatened. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026

The company notes that many of its competitors in the rugged smartphone space use night vision setups that unveil night-time secrets for about 20 meters at most (around 66 ft). —New Atlas, 9 Jan. 2026

The championship has already seen record-setting performances in the women's event and multiple competitors looking to punch their third Olympic ticket. —Lillian Karabaic, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026

Instead of a team splitting the $200,000 prize, the big money is all going to a single competitor. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see competition

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

competitor

noun

com·​pet·​i·​tor kəm-ˈpet-ət-ər 

: one that competes especially in the selling of goods or services : rival