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
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Most of the anglers are here for the Kelliher Fire and Rescue Relief Association Fishing Derby, a day-long contest where participants pay a $20 fee to catch up to four walleye (only one longer than 17 inches).
—Stephanie Pearson, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
The Tarrant County Democratic Party on Tuesday contested the ballot filings of 41 Republican judicial candidates and two state Republican House candidates in a letter to Tarrant County GOP Chair Tim Davis.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Mitchell didn’t return, finishing Tuesday’s contest with nine points, three rebounds, six assists and one steal in 19 minutes.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Most of the anglers are here for the Kelliher Fire and Rescue Relief Association Fishing Derby, a day-long contest where participants pay a $20 fee to catch up to four walleye (only one longer than 17 inches).
—Stephanie Pearson, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
Madix bought a home in the Hollywood Hills in 2024, but the Valley Village property remained contested.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
The Tarrant County Democratic Party on Tuesday contested the ballot filings of 41 Republican judicial candidates and two state Republican House candidates in a letter to Tarrant County GOP Chair Tim Davis.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Jan. 2026
-
This has created a growing, glowing, billion-dollar segment of the beauty market and fierce competition among purveyors of this radiant technology.—
Brennan Kilbane,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The tournament starts Sunday at Melbourne Park.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Jan. 2026
-
When he was gone, Rogers made their first-ever state tournament.—
Ren Clayton,
CBS News,
15 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
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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
-
Nor did his habit of challenging teachers during lectures win him many friends among the academic staff.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The common thread may be America’s determination to challenge China and its dominance of critical minerals.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
15 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
-
This was not a rare occurrence at the university, where the presence of many students depended on the outcome of factional battles in their countries of origin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In fact, filming the entire episode was quite the experience as the actress spent a lot of time arguing with herself as Maddie and Sara engaged in a battle of wills for control over the call center.—
Sabienna Bowman,
PEOPLE,
16 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 19 Jan. 2026.
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