COMPETITION Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

competition

noun

ˌkäm-pə-ˈti-shən

Definition of competition

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

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

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 But after The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween hit it big a decade and a half later, horror became a competition to see who could die the grisliest death. — Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 Bouchareb and Whitaker first connected through the former’s 2014 feature Berlinale competition film Two Men in Town. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026 Surf Dating hosts a collaboration with Hyrox during a competition. — Alex Harring,brandon Gomez, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026 Lawmakers are also dealing with a structural deficit and deep cuts to Medicaid — which has intensified competition for tax dollars. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for competition

Recent Examples of Synonyms for competition

Noun

Over time, the company has aggregated a combination of destinations, tournaments, leagues and camps, illustrating how physical facilities can anchor a broader participation business rather than function simply as real-estate assets.

— Chris Russo, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Second-round leader Haeran Ryu, who birdied her last three holes, still led the tournament by four strokes after a 4-under 68 and a three-round total of 17-under 199.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of tournament

Noun

For The Uninterested Woman Dating Show, Navarrette hilariously played Dane, one of the f*ckboy contestants, along with Jane Wickline and Sarah Sherman.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2026
Since nobody was banished, host Alan Cumming then forced the contestants back to the Roundtable the very next morning, and this time the table followed Victor’s lead and banished Tomica by a 10-2 vote.

— Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of contestant

Noun

The Chiefs-Jets all-time series is certainly not considered one of the great NFL rivalries, but the teams have a long history.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026
Like Cassavetes, Jaglom tended to be almost single-mindedly focused on interpersonal relationships — romantic ones, but also friendships and rivalries between men and between women.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of rivalry

Noun

Its arrival split men's professional golf, with the PGA Tour suspending members who competed in LIV events.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
The incident does not necessarily indicate a fundamental limitation of the G1 platform, particularly given Unitree’s suggestion that the development model may not have been properly tuned for the event.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of event

Noun

The leader, facing a tough re-election battle, has focused much of his campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote on security.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
By focusing on the battles fought in luxury department stores, fashion shows, high-end spas, nail salons, and the home, the film illustrated just how limited even privileged women’s options were.

— Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of battle

Noun

For families Guests of all ages are welcome at The Shinmonzen, with a raft of amenities available for both children and babies, from baby cots, sterilizers, and strollers to kids’ seasonal welcome kits, pajamas, menus, games, books, and toys.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
The second-year forward started against the Brooklyn Nets after missing the first eight regular season games due to a left hamstring strain.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of game

Noun

For much of the rest of his career, as senator and as a contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 1920 and 1924, Johnson tried to pull his party back to its skepticism of monopolistic riches, but never could.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
The film is among the Oscar contenders this year including best actor for Pascal, and with the strong reviews, perhaps even best picture.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of contender

Browse Nearby Words

competing

competition

competitions

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Competition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competition. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of competition

noun

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