competition

noun

ˌkäm-pə-ˈti-shən How to pronounce competition (audio)
Definition of competitionnext
1
as in tournament
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize a competition between two fierce football rivals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in contestant
one who strives for the same thing as another tried to analyze his major competition in the tennis tournament

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the intense competition for bragging rights to being the city's best French restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 competition The abovementioned half a dozen movies join the ten already announced as competition titles in the Official Selection of the San Sebastián Film Festival, including new movies from Mike Leigh and a TV series from Pablo Larraín. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 Take Off world premiered in competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October and opened in Chinese theaters in January, grossing $12 million (RMB 81 million). — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026 The Premier League is one of the biggest competitions in sports, with its teams now largely owned by oil-rich gulf states or private equity. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026 Still, the streamer’s stock is down 35% from a year ago, as competition from other platforms has grown. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for competition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competition
  1. tournament
  2. contestant
  3. rivalry
  4. event
  5. competitor
  6. battle
  7. game
  8. contender
Noun
  • But he was forced to apologize after his plans to form a subsidiary to run the tournament, which would have opened the door for investors to buy stakes of up to ​20% in a spinout firm, collapsed after widespread backlash across the sport.
    — Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The departure symbolizes opportunity, even more so now that the women’s and men’s tournaments are sold separately.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of tournament
Noun
  • Now, is using paper towels a little lackluster compared with last year’s Abbott Elementary crossover challenge, where the contestants had to use school supplies?
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But four contestants representing Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Oregon interviewed by USA TODAY the week before the competition appeared overwhelmingly excited, if a little nervous, to convene in Ohio for the games.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of contestant
Noun
  • The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, which originated in 1892, has waned a bit in recent years as the Milwaukee Brewers have taken control of the National League Central.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • As China’s strategic rivalry with the US and its allies deepens, Beijing has broadened its anti-espionage campaign, casting suspicious eyes on foreign ties amid concerns about the leak of state secrets.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • Hundreds of people with stereo systems, disco balls, tents, kegs and mattresses left huge amounts of trash, set off fireworks and used Tunitas Creek Beach as a bathroom during all-night events.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This week, Cuba commemorated Castro with events including the International Book Fair, art exhibitions, concerts and gatherings of delegates from leftist organizations across the continent.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of event
Noun
  • Klobuchar handily won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary Tuesday with no major competitors.
    — Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Burger King’s growth is a stark contrast compared to its competitors.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of competitor
Noun
  • Four months later, my mom began a private battle against death when she was diagnosed with polio.
    — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Following a slew of casualties (including James Norton’s Ormund Hightower) during a massive battle between the Blacks and the Greens at Tumbleton, Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) jumps to her death off screen in King’s Landing.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • Instead, in their wake, the league veered far in the other direction, taking the finesse out of the game and turning on-court play into a street fight, with officials unable or unwilling to get their arms round the physicality.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • With the standout performance from Pereyra, the Loons ended a nine-game winless skid in all competitions.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of game
Noun
  • Hüller starred alongside Ryan Gosling in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary and headlines Paweł Pawlikowski’s Fatherland, which premiered in Cannes and is considered a strong awards-season contender.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The six join previously announced Golden Shell contenders from Roberto Bueso, Nicole Garcia, Mikel Gurrea, Maha Harada, Pablo Larraín, Mike Leigh, Hans Petter Moland, Benjamín Naishtat, Javier Ruiz Caldera and Yeşim Ustaoğlu.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of contender

Browse Nearby Words

competing
competition
competitions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competition. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on competition

Nglish: Translation of competition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about competition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All