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
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
Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Phoenix said she and Tayler were inspired to create the owl for their contest entry because Tayler has experience working with the birds at Ramona Barn Owls.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Rubio, a data analyst, still has a separate habeas corpus case contesting his detainment, meaning he won’t be immediately deported.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Moreover, Munis said, with enough notice a heavy-hitting Democrat might have entered the contest, instead of the lowly bunch now running hopeless campaigns.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Phoenix said she and Tayler were inspired to create the owl for their contest entry because Tayler has experience working with the birds at Ramona Barn Owls.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Kendall, DuPage and Will counties also have contested countywide races on Tuesday’s ballot.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Rubio, a data analyst, still has a separate habeas corpus case contesting his detainment, meaning he won’t be immediately deported.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
Pitchers throw every day in season between competition days, bullpens, flat ground sessions and box drills off of an incline from 35 feet out.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The energy during that game was electric; the crowds, the fans, the rival fans and our competition were all charged, and everyone was on the edge of their seats.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pope hit a monster triple from the corner put the Horns up 75-68 with 1 minute, 29 seconds left and after Vokietaitis final miss, Mark calmly sunk four straight throws down the stretch to keep the Horns in the tournament.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The aesthetics of a tournament matter.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The war began after several rounds of airstrikes and cross-border skirmishes, stemming from Pakistani claims that the Afghan government was harboring terrorists who used the country as a base to launch attacks against Pakistan.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The curbs were initially enacted in 2020 after a border skirmish escalated tensions between the world’s two most populous nations.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Experts estimate that their new world tour could become the best-selling ever, challenging Taylor Swift’s $2 billion record, while Bloomberg predicted that today’s launch concert alone could generate as much as $177 million in economic activity for Seoul.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
While there’s been endless speculation in the tennis world about his potential rise to challenge Sinner and Alcaraz, Fonseca simply believes in himself.—
Nick Remsen,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Knicks beat the Nets for the 14th straight time, the longest winning streak for either team in the local rivalry.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Manchester City This must feel like being between a rock and a hard place for Manchester United fans given their long-standing rivalries with both clubs.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
During Monday’s event, the company presented a $50,000 donation and pledging 500 volunteer hours to Nourish Up, formerly Fishes & Loaves, a nonprofit addressing food insecurity for Charlotte families.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The eight-team event begins with quarterfinal games April 1-2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Longhorns have won the turnover battle in all but three of their games.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
When Jokic was out in January, the Nuggets understood that the ideal upset formula involved winning the possession battle.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some also questioned why a district in the heart of Silicon Valley is facing financial strain.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Emails show that Sands questioned whether police looked at Jalloh for an unrelated stabbing homicide in June.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
