competitor

[kuhm-pet-i-ter]

noun

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

competitor

/ kəmˈpɛtɪtə /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• competitorship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of competitor¹

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

Synonym Study

See opponent.

Example Sentences

Neutron will be a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

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He ran to escape, but also to abuse his competitors, forcing them to sprint faster than their abilities allowed.

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China isn’t buying U.S. soybeans amid the trade war with Washington, leaving American farmers in a pinch, and they have objected to taxpayer funds being used to help a competitor.

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The constellation will mark a technological leap forward, even though Europe sometimes lags "a few years behind" its competitors, Aschbacher said.

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Progress was slow, and in some cases Oracle’s software was inferior to that of stand-alone competitors, but Ellison insisted on staying the course.

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Related Words

• adversary 
• challenger 
• competition 
• contestant 
• favorite 
• opponent 
• rival