compete

American  

[kuhm-peet] / kəmˈpit /

verb (used without object)

competed, competing

1. to strive to outdo another for acknowledgment, a prize, supremacy, profit, etc.; engage in a contest; vie: to compete in business.

   to compete in a race;

   to compete in business.

   Synonyms:

   struggle

---

idioms

1. cannot/can't compete with, to not be, by a great degree, as good or capable as (someone or something else).

   These roses are lovely, but they can’t compete with the ones we grew back home in Ecuador.

compete British  

/ kəmˈpiːt /

verb

1. to contend (against) for profit, an award, athletic supremacy, etc; engage in a contest (with)

---

Related Words

Compete, contend, contest mean to strive to outdo or excel. Compete implies having a sense of rivalry and of striving to do one's best as well as to outdo another: to compete for a prize. Contend suggests opposition or disputing as well as rivalry: to contend with an opponent, against obstacles. Contest suggests struggling to gain or hold something, as well as contending or disputing: to contest a position or ground ( in battle ); to contest a decision.

Other Word Forms

• competer
  noun
• competingly
  adverb
• noncompeting
  adjective
• outcompete
  verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of compete

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin competere “to meet, coincide, be fitting, suffice” ( Late Latin: “to seek, ask for”), equivalent to com- “with, together” + petere “to seek”; see com-. The Late Latin and English senses were influenced by competitor

Explanation

In sports you compete against the opposing team. At work you compete for a promotion. With siblings, you compete for everything. Compete means to vie for a goal. The urge to compete is universal and human, from kids who say "Race ya!," to great athletes who manage to achieve the impossible when faced with a worthy opponent. Some people are more inclined to compete than others. They are viewed as competitive and may be accused of turning everything into a competition.

Example Sentences

Francesco might still be learning the ropes of the circus world — but before he can compete on the glamorous world stage, he must first conquer his school’s virtual talent show.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

“It is up to us to compete and figure it out,” Taverna said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Then foreign auto makers could better compete with China worldwide.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

In SpaceX’s early days, some industry and government officials ridiculed the idea that a startup with no ties to major aeronautical firms could compete against established contractors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

The thirty teams selected to compete for the Stavros Prize represented nineteen countries on six continents and spoke twelve different languages.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• battle
• challenge
• clash
• contend
• contest
• face
• fight
• play
• spar
• try
• vie
• wrestle