Synonyms of contests

contests 1 of 2

noun

plural of contest

1

as in rivalries

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

• rivalries
• competitions
• battles
• duels
• struggles
• confrontations
• contentions
• conflicts
• matches
• wars
• sweepstakes
• warfares
• dogfights
• clashes
• strifes
• ball games
• face-offs
• combats
• tugs-of-war
• showdowns
• debates
• grapples
• disputes
• disputations
• horse races
• collisions
• quarrels
• arguments
• nail-biters
• frictions
• controversies
• discords
• disagreements
• wrangles
• rows
• dissensions

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• harmonies
• concords
• peaces

2

as in tournaments

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

• tournaments
• competitions
• games
• events
• matches
• sports
• championships
• sweepstakes
• bouts
• tourneys
• matchups
• meets
• battles
• races
• athletics
• skirmishes
• nationals
• scrimmages
• semifinals
• tussles
• outings
• derbies
• finals
• struggles
• heats
• marathons
• runs
• conflicts
• triathlons
• rounds
• rallies
• tugs-of-war
• gymkhanas
• runoffs
• field days
• volleys
• play-offs
• rubbers
• decathlons
• biathlons
• nightcaps
• ultramarathons
• sudden deaths
• sets
• round-robins
• seesaws
• classics
• pentathlons
• heptathlons
• dead heats
• photo finishes

3

as in skirmishes

a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skirmishes
• clashes
• fights
• battles
• scrimmages
• struggles
• brawls
• tussles
• scuffles
• duels
• dustups
• confrontations
• conflicts
• altercations
• frays
• fracases
• scraps
• combats
• scrums
• quarrels
• pitched battles
• disputes
• fistfights
• jousts
• slugfests
• blows
• hassles
• melees
• fisticuffs
• affrays
• broils
• controversies
• battles royal
• punch-outs
• squabbles
• tangles
• mix-ups
• spats
• face-offs
• ruckuses
• donnybrooks
• rows
• rough-and-tumbles
• wrangles
• catfights
• punch-ups
• free-for-alls
• arguments
• disagreements
• ructions
• contretemps
• tiffs
• kickups
• cross fires
• fallings-out
• misunderstandings
• handgrips
• grapples
• argle-bargles
• argy-bargies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truces

contests

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of contest

as in challenges

to demand proof of the truth or rightness of

vowed to contest the claim in court

Synonyms & Similar Words

• challenges
• questions
• disputes
• queries
• protests
• calls in question
• doubts
• oppugns
• impeaches
• objects (to)
• fights
• kicks (about)
• opposes
• resists
• combats
• mistrusts

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• believes
• accepts
• embraces
• supports
• swallows
• backs
• defends
• champions
• advocates
• promotes
• endures
• tolerates
• abides
• stomachs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contests

Noun

In some of the country's marquee Senate contests, candidates such as Texas's Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico have said that Washington should step in. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026

Insurance exists in other areas such as halftime giveaway contests, too. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

The franchise grew out of Wong, Shih and Yin’s own experiences competing in and observing Asian beauty pageants and talent contests held across North America and Asia. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Make Your Speech, the second of these non-partisan contests, invites young Americans to step up to the political podium. — Usa Today Network Staff Reports, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Woods also flashed early, but was relatively quiet in the first two preseason contests before getting into the backfield a couple of times Friday. — Sam McDowell 29, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026

Very few mentioned anti-communism or socialism as a top factor for their vote, although cultural issues have been an effective wedge for Republicans in recent contests. — Steve Peoples, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Following some thrilling contests and surprising results, the Premier League returns this weekend with the second round of matches for all 20 teams. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

Today, other contests are attracting more attention, and North Carolina has been a bit of a snooze. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026

Verb

The previous winning country contests a challenger country, and yacht clubs compete against each other to represent their respective countries. — Madeleine Kashkooli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

The family’s future is in limbo as Jeanie Buss contests her five siblings’ plans to sell their remaining stake of the team. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Water and Oxygen Disruption Phillips also contests the notion that weed fabrics are as breathable as they're advertised to be. — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 21 May 2026

The current insurgency directly contests Pakistan’s capacity to deliver security in Balochistan. — Amira Jadoon, The Conversation, 13 May 2026

Here, Sarr successfully contests a 13-foot floater by Tyler Kolek. — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

The high court’s decision did not address the underlying merits of the lawsuit, which contests the Department of Homeland Security’s revocation policy. — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025

If the president contests that decision, Congress must resolve the dispute, requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to maintain the vice president's authority. — Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025