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
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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
Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
That was despite Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown missing the contest with injuries.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
James Stavridis, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
His legal team planned to contest the admissibility of the undercover evidence, but at a hearing in January, 2022, just as a judge’s associate began reciting the charges against him, White interrupted.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
The Miami Dolphins lost a close contest to the Los Angeles Chargers 29-27 after Cameron Dicker hit the go-ahead 33-yard field goal with less than 10 seconds left.
—Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
That was despite Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown missing the contest with injuries.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Russian leader Vladimir Putin intends to contest the Baltic, make no mistake.
—James Stavridis, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
His legal team planned to contest the admissibility of the undercover evidence, but at a hearing in January, 2022, just as a judge’s associate began reciting the charges against him, White interrupted.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
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Once on campus, he’s drawn into the intense world of Black Greek life, where rival fraternities battle through stepping competitions that blend rhythm, tradition, and pride.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Of their 16 meetings in all competitions between August 2004 and August 2007, 10 featured one goal or fewer.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Of all the runs that Valentin Vacherot could have embarked upon to win his first ever major tennis tournament, this was surely the most unlikely.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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The tournaments pit heroes such as Cole Young, Sonya Blade, Kano, Jax, Liu Kang and Kung Lao to fight against villains like Mileena, Nitara, Reiko, Kabal, Reptile, Goro and the sorcerer Shang Tsung.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The skirmish over the controller erupted as the Council and Nygren's office continued to disagree over how tribal funds were allocated within the government.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Just when things appeared to cool down and players were separated, another skirmish occurred near the bleachers.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The group said the AI badge will challenge scouts to examine the effects of AI on daily life, learn about the impacts of deepfakes, and work on a project that either incorporates AI or explains the technology in a way other scouts will understand.—
Gordon Ebanks,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
-
This idea weaves through the novel as Sadie, the protagonist, becomes increasingly drawn to Bruno’s worldview, challenging her sense of self and mission.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There is also a danger that anger with Hamas and rivalries within the Palestinian community in Gaza could now explode, analysts say.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The men’s opposing theories, murder versus suicide, became entangled in a rivalry over who had known and understood him best.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This is the fourth year of the event, and the additions of Steen, Jackman and Arbour will bring the number of players in the Hall of Fame to 20.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Featuring high-profile guests like Coco Jones, the annual DKMS gala is a fundraising event hosted by the international nonprofit organization with a mission to fight blood cancer.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Keeping track of what both Pokémon are doing, each of their health bars, the animations for each attack and the battle log (which shows whether or not attacks have landed) takes a long time to get used to.—
Ryan Gaur,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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With tensions rising, the film transforms into an unsettling black comedy as the colleagues descend into a battle of wills and wits.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016 and the racial injustice protests in 2020, more people and institutions questioned the narrative of Columbus as only an intrepid sailor and explorer, arguing for a more complete understanding of his historical impact.—
Terry Tang,
Twin Cities,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Jones and King both appeal to Trump supporters who question the security of elections.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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