Synonyms

competitor

American

[kuhm-pet-i-ter] / kəmˈpɛt ɪ tər /

noun

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

competitor British

/ kəmˈpɛtɪtə /

noun

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

"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

See opponent.

Other Word Forms

competitorship noun

Etymology

Origin of competitor

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

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.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on the possibility of one of the major U.S. airlines buying a smaller competitor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“He’s not immune to it just because he can hit a golf ball really well,” fellow competitor Jason Day said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

In December, it also bought the brand of collapsed rival Fired Earth in a £3m rescue deal, after the Oxfordshire-based competitor went into administration in October.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Google's AI model Gemini has emerged as another potent competitor, with Elon Musk's xAI also attracting investment and users.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Slogging through the slop, he lumbered up to his competitor, pushing as hard as he could, and passed him.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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