as in competitive
having or marked by a strong desire to win or be better than others
The competing salespeople were all trying to lure the same customers.
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Dissimilar Words
as in contending
to engage in a contest
prizefighters competing for the world heavyweight championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of competing
Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Pope Leo’s emphasis on respect and dialogue suggests a desire to move beyond polarization, but competing interpretations of both doctrine and pastoral practice continue to divide American Catholics.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Even making a slightly lower offer may be more viable when sellers know there are fewer competing bids.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
The Department intends to stop funding both 2025 new awards and non-competing continuations for these seven grant programs.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adversaries appear as competing bids, regulatory hurdles or stakeholders with diverging agendas.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus return to defend their titles, along with American tennis stars Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and more competing.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2025
With pickup truck prices ever increasing—the F-150 starts at nearly $40,000—and competitors like Slate Auto offering simpler competing vehicles for lower prices, that’s meaningful.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Everybody's always looking, curious, competing and that's a really difficult thing, especially for a female actor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Yet there’s also an avalanche of more urgent issues competing for officials’ attention, like federal agents’ killing of a US citizen on Saturday.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
About a decade ago, Sajwan bought a firm producing the dye in Germany for another health-care investment, but the company couldn’t secure regulatory approvals — a common challenge for firms competing in the fluorescent dye market.
—Bernadette Toh, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
The 7-day reality competition sees 10-12 influencers and celebrities living together while competing for a £1M prize fund.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Alfonso is one of several Republicans competing in the primary for the solidly red district.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Officials have started a formal process to spell out exactly how Google must give competing AI assistants and services the same kind of technical access to Android features that Google uses for its own Gemini products.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
Then, also in 2022, the lawsuit said, Popik informed Savic that the club planned to terminate its affiliation with his group in favor of a new, competing affiliate called Sporting City East, which is now based at the Swope Soccer Village.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
There's also a lineup of documentaries whose subjects include singers Courtney Love and Marianne Faithfull, tennis legend Billie Jean King, author Salman Rushdie, and topics like artificial intelligence, summitting K2, and children competing to sell the most Girl Scout cookies.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Rodríguez represents just one of multiple and competing interests within a Venezuela elite composed of a precarious civil-military alliance officially committed to a leftist populist ideology called Chavismo.
—Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Pope Leo’s emphasis on respect and dialogue suggests a desire to move beyond polarization, but competing interpretations of both doctrine and pastoral practice continue to divide American Catholics.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Even making a slightly lower offer may be more viable when sellers know there are fewer competing bids.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
The Department intends to stop funding both 2025 new awards and non-competing continuations for these seven grant programs.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adversaries appear as competing bids, regulatory hurdles or stakeholders with diverging agendas.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus return to defend their titles, along with American tennis stars Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and more competing.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2025
With pickup truck prices ever increasing—the F-150 starts at nearly $40,000—and competitors like Slate Auto offering simpler competing vehicles for lower prices, that’s meaningful.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Everybody's always looking, curious, competing and that's a really difficult thing, especially for a female actor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Verb
Sometimes this takes the form of competing in different heats in the same final where the best run counts, such as with freeski events.
—Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Yet there’s also an avalanche of more urgent issues competing for officials’ attention, like federal agents’ killing of a US citizen on Saturday.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
About a decade ago, Sajwan bought a firm producing the dye in Germany for another health-care investment, but the company couldn’t secure regulatory approvals — a common challenge for firms competing in the fluorescent dye market.
—Bernadette Toh, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
The 7-day reality competition sees 10-12 influencers and celebrities living together while competing for a £1M prize fund.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
Alfonso is one of several Republicans competing in the primary for the solidly red district.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Officials have started a formal process to spell out exactly how Google must give competing AI assistants and services the same kind of technical access to Android features that Google uses for its own Gemini products.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
Then, also in 2022, the lawsuit said, Popik informed Savic that the club planned to terminate its affiliation with his group in favor of a new, competing affiliate called Sporting City East, which is now based at the Swope Soccer Village.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
There's also a lineup of documentaries whose subjects include singers Courtney Love and Marianne Faithfull, tennis legend Billie Jean King, author Salman Rushdie, and topics like artificial intelligence, summitting K2, and children competing to sell the most Girl Scout cookies.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competing
Adjective
-
The Chicago Blackhawks saw a competitive first period turn into a horrendous second in Thursday’s 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Saleh learned that’s just the competitive fire Daboll operates with — especially on game day.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Campillo objected to that rationale, contending residents of nearby cities shouldn’t be treated the same as tourists or characterized as rich freeloaders for visiting Balboa Park as non-residents of San Diego.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
That’s when Haliburton will be back and the team’s goal will be contending.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe the perception would be different if his salary was expiring, but the reality remains that rival teams have long seen Nnaji as a negative-value contract.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Directed by Yelena Popovic, Omar Epps plays a former gang leader moving away from his past, while old alliances, rival crews and police pressure threaten to pull him back in.—
Essence,
Essence,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Graham, in particular, has been on a war path over the negotiations, accusing Republicans of not fighting hard enough to reclaim the narrative on immigration after the death of Alex Pretti last weekend.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Madison Square Garden has issued a statement warning that anyone fighting at the arena could face a lifetime ban after multiple brawls broke out during an event on Friday.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Bring along a non-driving guest to enjoy the hotel part of the program for $350.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advocates like Aiello are now racing to secure measures to avoid catastrophe before the frontier is closed.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Their massive move also underscores how big donors are racing to back science-heavy, tech-centric projects such as peers like the Gates Foundation.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Side hustling for job security comes at a personal cost.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
According to a transcript, under cross-examination by attorney Lee Rothman, Hennen admitted to drug dealing, gambling rip-offs, and hustling pool throughout the Northeast and Midwest.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Starlancer was a narrower simulator in the vein of Wing Commander or X-Wing, following a linear narrative about alliances of Earth's nations battling in the void of space.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Ridgewood, a smaller, scrappy bunch kept battling, taking a 40-39 advantage entering the fourth quarter and pushing it to 49-41.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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