competition

1 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 bout, game, contest, event, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tournament, tourneyRelated Words athletics, sport; battle, conflict, scrimmage, skirmish, struggle, tug-of-war, tussle; championship, national(s); final, nightcap, play-off, semifinal; derby, field day, gymkhana, open, outing; biathlon, decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon, triathlon; marathon, race, ultramarathon; heat, round, run, set; rally, volley; round-robin, rubber, runoff, sudden death; dead heat, photo finish, seesaw; classic

2 one who strives for the same thing as another tried to analyze his major competition in the tennis tournament Synonyms challenger, competitor, contender, contestant, corrival, rivalRelated Words archrival; finalist, semifinalist; also-ran, entrant, entry, player; adversary, antagonist, opponentAntonyms noncompetitor

3 an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the intense competition for bragging rights to being the city's best French restaurant Synonyms ball game, battle, combat, contest, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tug-of-war, war, warfareRelated Words horse race, nail-biter; showdown; clash, collision, discord, friction; argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), quarrel, row, wrangleNear Antonyms concord, harmony, peace