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
With a real challenge from Democrats on his hands, Issa has considered leaving to run for a congressional seat in Texas, where Republican redistricting has created newly competitive seats ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
—
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Polls pointed to a potentially competitive race in the district, which is comprised of parts of Nashville, Clarksville and more conservative rural and suburban areas in central Tennessee.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Coming into 2026, companies are focusing on innovating their product lines, potentially leading to a more competitive fashion arena.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
Frequently, surgery is offered to repair full tears in patients who wish to return to competitive sports.
—Matt Villano, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for competitive
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Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2025
Polls pointed to a potentially competitive race in the district, which is comprised of parts of Nashville, Clarksville and more conservative rural and suburban areas in central Tennessee.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Coming into 2026, companies are focusing on innovating their product lines, potentially leading to a more competitive fashion arena.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
Frequently, surgery is offered to repair full tears in patients who wish to return to competitive sports.
—Matt Villano, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for competitive
Cite this Entry
“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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
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