competitive

adjective

com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpe-tə-tiv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
Synonyms of competitive
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
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.
The contract for management and operation of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be opened up to a competitive bidding process for the first time in its history, the space agency announced on Friday. Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026 The competitive section contains 26 events across nine disciplines, including athletics, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, dance competitions, tug-of-war, and pitch-pot, a traditional Chinese precision game. Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026 Running a competitive process requires positioning the company effectively and managing diligence strategically. Patrick Galleher, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 The primary is expected to be among the most competitive Democratic contests in Florida this cycle. Wpec Staff, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for competitive

Word History

Etymology

see competition

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of competitive was in 1829

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

competitive

adjective
com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitive protein binding
competitively adverb

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