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

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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)

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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

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

While SLS can’t compete with SpaceX on costs, the Artemis mission has reminded everyone what is possible when people try to do hard things.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Beggs, who owned a Porsche repair company, immediately hit if off with Baron, and the pair went on to compete together in the American Le Mans Series in 2010.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

A keen shopper himself, de Meo said the group’s portfolio—11 brands, each powerful in its own right—gives it a rare ability to compete across multiple segments of the luxury market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

A new vehicle could help Tesla as it struggles to compete on price in China.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Elisha—his words, his eyes, his hands, his lips—held a fascination with which the dead could not compete.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

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