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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contest
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Israeli entrant, Eden Golan, finished fifth in the contest but was booed on stage and even received death threats.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Aryna Sabalenka curbed her natural instincts to beat Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in an absorbing women’s final, before Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner contested their third Grand Slam final in a row — a record in the Open Era of men’s tennis.
—The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Highlights include a new beer release, German-style food, music by two bands and a costume contest.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Israeli entrant, Eden Golan, finished fifth in the contest but was booed on stage and even received death threats.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
As the Lions scored a garbage time TD with 55 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Green Bay’s easy 26-13 victory wasn’t as closely contested as the score would seem to indicate.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Aryna Sabalenka curbed her natural instincts to beat Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in an absorbing women’s final, before Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner contested their third Grand Slam final in a row — a record in the Open Era of men’s tennis.
—The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
The fourth season will be played from June 18-July 18, 2026, the preferred slot in the calendar for MLC with not much competition from other domestic leagues.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The number of local homes put up for sale soared, boosting competition among sellers.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
All eight of the previous Little League Classics have been held on that first Sunday of the tournament.—
Andrew Wagner,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The postseason tournament tips off on Sunday, September 14, at 1 pm ET, with games televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Still one of the NFL’s nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.—
Dan Gelston,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Ideological skirmishes over the motives and obligations of Carpenter’s music include both sincere interrogation of its feminism and smirking counteractive reprisals to that scrutiny.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement By the time of the civil rights movement, broader social and cultural changes had strengthened individuals’ sense of personal liberty, and activism challenged policy brutality and discretionary overreach.—
Time,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Encouraging private employers to fire people for expressing certain viewpoints risks encouraging viewpoint discrimination, chilling free speech, and may improperly challenge state laws that protect speech and off-duty conduct.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Those games include matchups versus the NFC North, AFC North divisional rivalry games versus the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers as well as a late season road showdown against the Buffalo Bills.—
Kambui Bomani,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Studio beat The Bear for the most wins for a comedy series in a single year, while The Pitt reigned supreme in its rivalry with Severance and Britt Lower pulled an upset in Lead Actress in a Drama over Kathy Bates.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On Wednesday afternoon, Turning Point USA founder and right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck during a speaking event at Utah Valley University.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
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The latest commitment will allow Startup Junkie to continue the program for three years and expand the team's capacity to serve clients and prospective borrowers with more resources, hands-on support and events.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Republicans were unfazed by Democrats threatening to withhold their votes, accusing them of hypocrisy for condemning GOP efforts to win policy concessions in past funding battles.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The iconic items fit well in this book given how many Avengers don’t feel complete without a gadget or mystical item to carry into battle.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, local authorities later said the individual had been questioned and released.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Republican and Democratic lawmakers questioned the tactics after the earlier strike.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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