contest

[ noun kon-test; verb kuhn-test ]

noun

1. a race, conflict, or other competition between rivals, as for a prize.

   Synonyms: game, tourney, tournament, rivalry, contention, match

2. struggle for victory or superiority.

   Synonyms: encounter, battle

3. vigorous or bitter conflict in argument; dispute; controversy:

   Their marriage was marred by perpetual contest.

   Synonyms: opposition, disagreement, difference, clash, altercation, antagonism, discord, strife

verb (used with object)

1. to struggle or fight for, as in battle.
2. to argue against; dispute:

   to contest a controversial question;

   to contest a will.

   Synonyms: oppose, controvert

3. to call in question:

   They contested his right to speak.

   Synonyms: challenge

4. to contend for in rivalry.

   Synonyms: vie, compete, strive

verb (used without object)

1. to dispute; contend; compete.

contest

noun

1. a formal game or match in which two or more people, teams, etc, compete and attempt to win
2. a struggle for victory between opposing forces or interests

verb

1. tr to try to disprove; call in question
2. whenintr, foll by with or against to fight, dispute, or contend (with)

   contest an election

Derived Forms

• conˈtestable, adjective
• conˈtestably, adverb
• conˈtester, noun
• conˈtestingly, adverb
• ˌcontesˈtation, noun
• conˈtestableness, noun

Other Words From

• con·test·a·ble adjective
• con·test·a·ble·ness noun
• con·test·a·bly adverb
• con·test·er noun
• con·test·ing·ly adverb
• pre·con·test verb (used with object)
• pre·con·test noun
• re·con·test verb
• sub·con·test noun
• su·per·con·test noun
• su·per·con·test verb (used with object)
• un·con·test·a·ble adjective
• un·con·test·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of contest¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; (verb) from Latin contestāri “to call to witness (in a lawsuit),” equivalent to con- con- + testārī “to testify, ” derivative of testis witness; the noun is derivative of the verb, or is from French conteste

Word History and Origins

Origin of contest¹

C16: from Latin contestārī to introduce a lawsuit, from testis witness

Synonym Study

See fight. See compete.

Example Sentences

Our presidential model uses a dataset of 113 variables for presidential elections spanning each presidential contest from 1992 to 2020.

From Ozy

Begich had resisted calls from some Democrats to drop out of the contest, but with the general election three weeks away, Walker’s team was hopeful Begich might fold and present a united front against Dunleavy.

From ProPublica

If a map provides symmetric, or equal, opportunity for all parties in a contest to convert votes into seats, that map is deemed fair.

From Science News

If you missed out, you may want to consult the thousands of attack distributions from these previous contests.

From FiveThirtyEight

Once built, Microsoft tested the software on the DeepFake Detection Challenge Dataset, which Facebook AI created as part of a contest to build automated detection tools.

From Popular-Science

In each contest, the Republican candidate outperformed the GOP result from 2012 among women voters.

From The Daily Beast

Judging the contest are four prominent figures in the adult entertainment business with years of experience.

From The Daily Beast

As we move beyond November and into the next big contest, there are clear and hard lessons to be learned.

From The Daily Beast

In 1998, she was selected to represent Israel in the prestigious Eurovision contest, winning first place.

From The Daily Beast

Polls show that in Maine, Tea Party Gov. Paul LePage is poised to win reelection in a three-way contest.

From The Daily Beast

The place was well defended by earthworks and natural parapets, and for several hours the issue of the contest was doubtful.

From Project Gutenberg

During the contest the dragons called up a great wind which uprooted the tree.

From Project Gutenberg

All day long the contest lasted, men fighting hand to hand in a confused mle.

From Project Gutenberg

After the battle was over General Lawton declared that it was the toughest contest they had yet undertaken in this war.

From Project Gutenberg

The contest was continued with great obstinacy till nightfall, when the rebels retired.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• challenge
• discussion
• game
• match
• meeting
• sport
• tournament
• trial