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

• 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

Then, his competitors, unable to sustain their own rising costs, either closed shop or reduced their product offerings, allowing Detroit Axle to absorb new customers and sales grew. —Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Economic downturns, new competitors, and supply chain chaos matter less when customers see your brand as part of their identity. —Billee Howard, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025

Pop Mart also doesn’t have the decades-long history as some of its Western competitors. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025

Fairfield broke its opponent and shattered the camera: Taiwan has 17 total LLWS championships, most of any international competitor (Japan is next with 11). —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 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