competition

1 a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize <a competition between two fierce football rivals> Synonyms bout, game, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tournament, tourneyRelated Words athletics, sport; battle, conflict, scrimmage, skirmish, struggle, tug-of-war, tussle; championship, national(s); final, nightcap, play-off, semifinal; derby, field day, gymkhana, open, outing; biathlon, decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon, triathlon; marathon, race, ultramarathon; heat, round, run, set; rally, volley; round-robin, rubber, runoff, sudden death; dead heat, photo finish, seesaw; classic

2 one who strives for the same thing as another <tried to analyze his major competition in the tennis tournament> Synonyms challenger, competitor, contender, contestant, corrival, rivalRelated Words archrival; finalist, semifinalist; also-ran, entrant, entry, player; adversary, antagonist, opponentAntonyms noncompetitor

3 an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another <the intense competition for bragging rights to being the city's best French restaurant> Synonyms ball game, battle, combat, contest, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tug-of-war, war, warfareRelated Words horse race, nail-biter; showdown; clash, collision, discord, friction; argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), quarrel, row, wrangleNear Antonyms concord, harmony, peace