CONTEST Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

contest 1 of 2

noun

ˈkän-ˌtest

Definition of contest

as in competition

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tournament

a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize a contest for the gold medal in diving

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in skirmish

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truce

contest

2 of 2

verb

kən-ˈtest

as in to challenge

to demand proof of the truth or rightness of vowed to contest the claim in court

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 contest

Noun

Larger-than-life Halloween celebrations rise up every October like the Great Pumpkin (or a benevolent spooky spirit or two) to captivate visitors with parades, caramel apples, costume contests, and more. — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026 In the end, The Cheese Curd Shack was crowned the winner of our contest. — Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

This interpretation, while supported by a substantial body of historical scholarship, is sharply contested by leaders of some Italian-American organizations, who laud Columbus as a symbol of ethnic pride. — Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026 Patients lose out because the administrative bloat inflates the cost of medical care, while making costs less transparent and harder to contest. — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest

Noun

There’s a lot more competition now, especially with the celebrity beauty brands and the indie or niche brands that are blowing up on TikTok, which is a super popular platform for discovering new beauty products.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
The report singles out Japan, women’s competitions and homegrown stars as the areas most likely to draw competing bids.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of competition

Noun

Paige, who used to play in professional tournaments, pushes the putt only to be one-upped by her partner who pulls her putt to the left.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
The combined company also has rights to professional golf, including the Masters tournament; National Hockey League; Major League Baseball and NCAA basketball, including March Madness, as well as European rights to televise the Olympics.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of tournament

Noun

Mark Stephens, of the Howard Kennedy law firm in London, described the hearing as a preliminary skirmish in the broader legal battle.

— Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Ties between the two countries, which had deteriorated sharply following a deadly border skirmish in 2020, have been thawing for more than a year.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of skirmish

Verb

Exec produced by Sylvester Stallone and filmed in British Columbia, the show challenges ordinary people to survive alone in an unforgiving wilderness with no training, no supplies, and no contact with the outside world.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
The archaic legal restrictions restricting same-sex couples or unmarried women, for example, are acknowledged and adhered to, rather than being openly challenged or criticized.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenge

Noun

And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Better still, they could’ve been forced to navigate a professional rivalry if, say, Roy is expected to support Chelsea’s women’s club.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rivalry

Noun

In yet another battle between the states and social media platforms, Florida asked a state judge to order changes on Instagram and Facebook in an effort to protect young users.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
At the same time, Hollister was also engaged in a lengthy courtroom battle with Perry and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles over the rights to another property, a Los Feliz convent the singer hoped to turn into a private home.

— Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of battle

Verb

Reactions, however, ranged from pure fascination and respect for his 12-year project to critics questioning whether Tomlin, who parted ways with the Steelers in January of this year, had devoted too much time to his virtual city.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Allegations raise concerns over sensitive Chinese data Chinese regulators have reportedly questioned domestic AI developers following Anthropic’s allegations.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026