competitor

noun

com·​pet·​i·​tor kəm-ˈpe-tə-tər 

: one that competes: such as

a

: rival

a fierce competitor on the soccer field

b

: one selling or buying goods or services in the same market as another

offering lower prices than our competitors

c

: an organism that lives in competition with another

The squid population increased dramatically when food competitors were depleted by heavy overfishing.

Synonyms of competitor

• contestant
• contender
• rival
• challenger

Examples of competitor in a Sentence

We offer better rates than our competitors.

There were more than 500 competitors in the race.

Recent Examples on the Web

His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport. —Ashley Carnahan , Ryan Gaydos , Ryan Morik , Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 18 Dec. 2025

Barnett is bullish about CME’s prospects in a European streaming market that counts Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and Paramount+ among its competitors. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025

Vail and its main competitor, Alterra Mountain Company, are insulated to some degree from bad weather in any one region by their geographic scale. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 18 Dec. 2025

In their coverage of Moniz’s criticism, however, Reuters and the Washington Post did not mention the possible conflict of interest stemming from the former energy secretary’s extensive financial ties to the oil and gas industries — direct competitors to nuclear power. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 18 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see competition

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

competitor

noun

com·​pet·​i·​tor kəm-ˈpet-ət-ər 

: one that competes especially in the selling of goods or services : rival