competition

[kom-pi-tish-uhn]

noun

1. the act of competing; rivalry for supremacy, a prize, etc..

   The competition between the two teams was bitter.

   Synonyms: emulation

2. a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage.

   Both girls entered the competition.

   Synonyms: struggle

3. the rivalry offered by a competitor.

   The small merchant gets powerful competition from the chain stores.

4. a competitor or competitors.

   What is your competition offering?

5. Sociology.,  rivalry between two or more persons or groups for an object desired in common, usually resulting in a victor and a loser but not necessarily involving the destruction of the latter.

6. Ecology.,  the struggle among organisms, both of the same and of different species, for food, space, and other vital requirements.

competition

/ ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of competing; rivalry

2. a contest in which a winner is selected from among two or more entrants

3. a series of games, sports events, etc

4. the opposition offered by a competitor or competitors

5. a competitor or competitors offering opposition

6. ecology the struggle between individuals of the same or different species for food, space, light, etc, when these are inadequate to supply the needs of all

competition

1. The simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for limited environmental resources, such as nutrients, living space, or light.

Other Word Forms

• noncompetition adjective
• procompetition adjective
• supercompetition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of competition¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin competītiōn-, stem of competītiō “agreement, rivalry,” from competīt(us) “agreed, met” (past participle of competere “to agree, come together, meet”; compete ( def. ) ) + -iō -ion; sense influenced by competitor

Example Sentences

Uefa does not release historical data, but there are 116 active suspended stadium bans across all competitions, including women's and youth teams.

Read more on BBC

He professed that Quantum Systems was “a leap ahead of its competition.”

Read more on Barron's

The stock’s recent struggles are attributed to AI bubble fears, increased competition, and changing Federal Reserve interest rate expectations.

Read more on Barron's

But Britney Nguyen explained why investors trying to predict who might “win” the AI software or hardware competitions might be better off taking a broader view of the AI landscape.

Read more on MarketWatch

Liverpool has lost nine of its past 12 games in all competitions, marking its worst run of form since the 1950s.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• championship 
• clash 
• event 
• fight 
• game 
• match 
• meeting 
• race 
• rivalry 
• sport 
• struggle 
• tournament 
• trial