Synonyms

compete

American

[kuhm-peet] / kəmˈpit /

verb (used without object)

competed, competing

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

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

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

"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

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”; com-. The Late Latin and English senses were influenced by competitor

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.

But parents are eyeing a widening array of costs competing for their savings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Both schools will have plenty of athletes competing in the Arcadia Invitational on April 11.

From Los Angeles Times

Woods last competed on tour in 2024 at the British Open, but the 15-time major champion had been nearing a comeback.

From The Wall Street Journal

Prior to the crash he had not ruled out playing in next month's Masters - though he has not competed at a major since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024.

From BBC

Snap competes for digital ads against other social media giants like Meta and TikTok, and making most of its revenue from one stream leaves the company vulnerable to changes in the digital ad landscape.

From Barron's

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