as in competing
having or marked by a strong desire to win or be better than others
I am admittedly competitive when it comes to board games.
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Recent Examples of competitive
Others fall into zero-sum thinking about resources and an increasingly competitive labor market.
—
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
There was still one more race later that day, in mass start, but the 1,500 was the last competitive race here that Lehman wanted to win.
—Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Reisman's verve and competitive spirit, for example, mirror Marty's relentless drive.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
This allowed Ole Miss to stay competitive throughout the game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competitive
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
There was still one more race later that day, in mass start, but the 1,500 was the last competitive race here that Lehman wanted to win.
—Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Reisman's verve and competitive spirit, for example, mirror Marty's relentless drive.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
This allowed Ole Miss to stay competitive throughout the game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competitive
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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But such diligent injury prevention doesn’t address the root cause of Rec League Dysmorphia.—
Grace Perry,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
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Iran thus has every right to demand that the IAEA be diligent in observing its own procedures and codes of conduct on impartiality, objectivity, confidentiality, and sensitivity to national security concerns in exchange for continued cooperation.—
Mohammad Javad Zarif,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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So last Monday, after scrolling through news of the government shutdown and with nothing else planned for the day, the couple decided to fire up their Pit Boss pellet grill and feed anyone who was hungry, no questions asked.—
Sean Clancy,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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Voter anger over the cost of living is hurtling forward into next year’s midterm elections, when pivotal contests will be decided by communities that are home to fast-rising electric bills or fights over who’s footing the bill to power Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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That’s the kind of chance that last season, a more aggressive-looking Stolarz would have used his frame — and frankly, his big-game presence — to turn away with ease.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The agency has also faced criticism for aggressive tactics used by ICE agents in executing the president’s immigration policy.—
Andy Rose 19 hr ago,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Flint’s group also questioned whether schools are solely motivated by money to entice students to class.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Chilcutt said she was particularly motivated after Carmel’s loss to Libertyville in a Class 4A regional final last season.—
Bobby Narang,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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The 53-year-old Mladenov has long been involved in Middle Eastern politics with solid expertise in the region’s dynamic developments.—
Veselin Toshkov,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competitive. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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