Synonyms

competitor

American

[kuhm-pet-i-ter] / kəmˈpɛt ɪ tər /

noun

a person, team, company, etc., that competes; rival.

competitor British

/ kəmˈpɛtɪtə /

noun

a person, group, team, firm, etc, that vies or competes; rival

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See opponent.

Other Word Forms

competitorship noun

Etymology

Origin of competitor

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin competītor “rival for an office,” equivalent to com- com- + petītor “seeker, claimant” ( petitor )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fred Couples, 66, the oldest competitor in the field, went from a tie for eighth to a tie for 43rd ... on one hole.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

NIO shares have gained almost 100% in the last 12 months, while competitor BYD’s shares declined about 7%.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

The parcel carriers have been wary about relying too much on Amazon, especially since the e-commerce giant is also a competitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

In December, it also bought the brand of collapsed rival Fired Earth in a £3m rescue deal, after the Oxfordshire-based competitor went into administration in October.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

I understood that Akhi had different goals as a coach than I did as a competitor and that I wasn’t his only student, but selfishly I wanted him to stick with me.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023