1
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
2
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
3
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
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
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Recent Examples of contest
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
His writing has also been recognized nationally in the Associated Press Sports Editors’ writing contest.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
An off-balance, contested 3-pointer from junior forward Andrew Meadow that bounced off the rim and into the hands of an Aztec at the end of triple overtime will be the defining memory for Boise State (9-5, 1-2 Mountain West) in a 110-107 loss to San Diego State (9-4, 3-0).
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Richardson appeared in his 12th consecutive contest and entered the game two minutes after Penda late in the first quarter.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
His writing has also been recognized nationally in the Associated Press Sports Editors’ writing contest.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
Aside from occasional exceptions, the Bruins have contested in every game.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
An off-balance, contested 3-pointer from junior forward Andrew Meadow that bounced off the rim and into the hands of an Aztec at the end of triple overtime will be the defining memory for Boise State (9-5, 1-2 Mountain West) in a 110-107 loss to San Diego State (9-4, 3-0).
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
That simple change would introduce real competition, allowing merchants to choose lower-cost options and forcing the dominant players to compete on price and service--just like any other market.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Two years ago at the Winter X Games, Kim became the first woman to pull off a 1260-degree spin in competition.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And in between, there are ample other events, tournaments and series that fashion should be watching.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The two teams played in a tournament over Thanksgiving and Texas came away with a two-point win.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
However, former Federal Air Marshal Peter Johnson — who founded Archway Defense, which has trained state, local and federal law enforcement in firearms for the past decade — told WCCO the street is not the place to challenge a federal agent's orders.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Bringing back engagement Longbow also wants to challenge how electric cars feel from behind the wheel.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After sending the cheeseheads packing with the biggest playoff comeback in franchise history, Ben Johnson spiced up the rivalry with some salty language.—
Jori Parys,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
As interbranch rivalry morphed into systemic partisan competition, a judiciary dominated by Republican appointees began consolidating its authority at Congress’s expense.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The recognition places Atlas among the most notable technology debuts at the annual consumer electronics event, concluding on Friday, and signals growing confidence in humanoid robots moving from demos to real industrial work.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
From comfort food classics to more elevated plates, several bites stood out at a preview event.—
Alexa Stone
January 9,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fox News Digital attempted to question Block about McCuskey's statement after oral arguments for the case in the Supreme Court Tuesday, but Block walked away from the first wave of questioning to take a picture with his team and client.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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Lawmakers will kick off their budget writing process by questioning both the legislative analyst and the governor’s finance staff, Gabriel said.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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