competitive
adjective
com·pet·i·tive
kəm-ˈpe-tə-tiv 
1
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
a competitive marketplace
2
: inclined, desiring, or suited to compete
a competitive personality
competitive interest rates
3
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitively
adverb
competitiveness
noun
Examples of competitive in a Sentence
She is a very competitive player.
You need a degree to be competitive in today's job market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Plaza Midwood home prices Despite being considered a competitive market by Redfin, Plaza Midwood led the city in home price decrease from February 2025 and February 2026.
—
Chase Jordan
april 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2026
About a decade ago, a group of competitive CrossFitters in Charleston, South Carolina, went looking for ways to improve their athletic performance without taking steroids.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
When attention spans are shortened, distractions multiply, and burnout rises across industries, the competitive edge comes from teams who can regulate stress, sustain focus and think creatively under pressure.
—Elan Gepner-Dales, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2026
The truth is that entry-level mirrorless cameras haven't changed that much in recent years, so Fujifilm didn't have to do much to stay competitive and deliver an excellent starter camera.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competitive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chase Jordan
april 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2026
About a decade ago, a group of competitive CrossFitters in Charleston, South Carolina, went looking for ways to improve their athletic performance without taking steroids.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
When attention spans are shortened, distractions multiply, and burnout rises across industries, the competitive edge comes from teams who can regulate stress, sustain focus and think creatively under pressure.
—Elan Gepner-Dales, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2026
The truth is that entry-level mirrorless cameras haven't changed that much in recent years, so Fujifilm didn't have to do much to stay competitive and deliver an excellent starter camera.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competitive
Cite this Entry
“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
competitive
adjective
com·pet·i·tive
kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
competitive bidding
competitively
adverb
competitiveness
noun
Medical Definition
competitive
adjective
com·pet·i·tive
kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitive protein binding
competitively
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
