competes

verb

present tense third-person singular of compete
as in contends
to engage in a contest prizefighters competing for the world heavyweight championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of competes And this week, the two-time world silver medalist competes at the European Championships in Birmingham, England, hoping to do something else his father never achieved — retain his European title. — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026 But North Star still collects fees and competes in a broader IRB marketplace. — Angus Chen, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026 Inference is contested at the level of ecosystems and installed software, and a chip bound to a single model competes in neither arena. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 The 2026 Jeep Cherokee competes against other hybrids like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 The victim, identified by relatives as Kiara Darvonne Bowling, is in her early 30s and works as an event planner and competes in pageants. — Da Lin, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 Grubbs also competes in sprints and jumps in track and field. — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 Woods, who competes using her maiden name Sophie Amy Grant, set off on July 4 in Trieste, Italy, and finished on the Mediterranean coast of Monaco. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 His daughter already competes in barrel racing, while his 2-year-old son has already begun riding horses. — Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competes
  1. contends
  2. races
  3. fights
Verb
  • Bar-Zemer contends that safety features could be installed to make sure pedestrians have enough time to exit the pathway if water rises swiftly.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • However, the author contends this limitation is insufficient, recalling the severe economic impact of prior Trump tariffs on major trading partners.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of contends
Verb
  • November races to watch With three months until election day, four swing districts in California, Washington and Arizona could play key roles.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • In The Secret of Secrets novel, symbologist Robert Langdon races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist and her groundbreaking manuscript whose discoveries have the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of races
Verb
  • First Officer Becca Bang (Ariana DeBose) fights to survive a hostile alien past.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In Westeros, everyone always fights about the Iron Throne—a chair like an iron cowlick, constructed with actual swords seized from vanquished enemies, jutting every which way.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights

Browse Nearby Words

competently
competes
competing
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Cite this Entry

“Competes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competes. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on competes

Nglish: Translation of competes for Spanish Speakers

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