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

The creditors’ lawsuit claims that Kenny engineered a situation in which Thai Union could control Red Lobster’s seafood purchasing—cutting out competitors and charging higher prices for shrimp. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Since the pandemic, prediction market companies like the crypto-native Polymarket and its close competitor Kalshi have expanded the cultural surface area of speculation. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Those two networks had been competitors for 10 years, going after the same audience and had really been at each other’s throat. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

With no breaks and no rest, the pressure builds as the clock ticks down over an intense 24 hours, pushing even the most accomplished competitors to their limits. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 30 Sep. 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