1
as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tournament
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a contest for the gold medal in diving
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contest
Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Dress up for the Stevie Nicks lookalike contest for a chance to win a $100 Galuppi’s gift card, or $50 gift card for second place.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
The turnout was likely helped by the fact that all three races, which included the mayor’s seat, were contested and the Northwest school district had a bond proposal on the ballot.
—Rachel Royster
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Consider this a wish list more than a projection, an opportunity to skillfully position rivalry contests and showcase games while leaning into potential theater.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Dress up for the Stevie Nicks lookalike contest for a chance to win a $100 Galuppi’s gift card, or $50 gift card for second place.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Verb
No Sixer defender cared to contest — because what’s the difference between 74 and 71 points when your team’s only mustered 51 in response?
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026
The turnout was likely helped by the fact that all three races, which included the mayor’s seat, were contested and the Northwest school district had a bond proposal on the ballot.
—Rachel Royster
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
Friendly competition is part of the fuel for starter Davis Martin.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
The concept of everyone coming together for one evening — and pausing their competition for the good of the overall TV business — had some legs.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Upon her return to Ring of Honor, she was thrust into a tournament to determine the first ROH women’s pure champion.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
The new, 76-team brackets will jam eight extra games — for a total of 12 involving 24 teams — into the front half of the first week of the men’s and the women’s tournaments.—
Eddie Pells,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The Pittsburgh Penguins staved off elimination for the second straight game with a clutch Game 5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, but celebrations were briefly halted when a skirmish erupted over a controversial hit on Sidney Crosby after the final buzzer.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Walker, in a 10-pitch skirmish, drew a walk.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In these college chapters, the book’s velocity matches her quest for a language to challenge the calls for race and gender blindness that had become a popular solution to inequality in America.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
For some couples, this shift in dynamics can be challenging enough that partners cannot envision continuing the relationship.—
Patricia Neligan,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Westin was the dominant force in Friday’s crosstown rivalry game.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Nilan and Miller spent a lot of those minutes punching each other, Nilan as a Canadien and Miller as a Bruin, during the 1980s iteration of the ancient rivalry.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
But the events of the last three years have left me confused and altered our relationship.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
Allen was injured but was not shot during the April 25 attack at the Washington Hilton, which disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
The project is particularly acrimonious, drawing out geographical battles between north and south and thorny fights between officials who want to build the tunnel and environmentalists and Delta residents seeking to protect the local ecosystem and their way of life.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Without losing a man or a ship, Dewey’s squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in the first American naval battle against a foreign power in almost five decades.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Every mistake is magnified, every penalty is questioned, every shortcoming is analyzed.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
In that clip, Cohen, 57, questioned whether the CMO role is typically short-term.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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