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
Fiber plans deliver speeds up to 2 Gbps at competitive prices, while DSL provides more modest speeds in rural and less densely populated areas.
—
Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Europe is a bit more competitive; the median acceptance rate stands at just 53%, and 46% of candidates identified as women.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
Investors may be unwilling to pay a higher multiple for UTHR, especially amid rising competitive pressures.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
States felt competitive pressure to join when their neighbors signed up for the lottery, concerned that their residents would cross state lines to buy tickets unless they were offered at home.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for competitive
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Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Europe is a bit more competitive; the median acceptance rate stands at just 53%, and 46% of candidates identified as women.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2025
Investors may be unwilling to pay a higher multiple for UTHR, especially amid rising competitive pressures.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
States felt competitive pressure to join when their neighbors signed up for the lottery, concerned that their residents would cross state lines to buy tickets unless they were offered at home.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 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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