competition

noun

com·​pe·​ti·​tion ˌkäm-pə-ˈti-shən 

1

: the act or process of competing : rivalry: such as

a

: the effort of two or more parties acting independently to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms

contractors in competition for the contract to build the new school

b

: active demand by two or more organisms or kinds of organisms for some environmental resource in short supply

the interspecies competition for food

2

: a contest between rivals

a gymnastics competition

also : one's competitors

faced tough competition

Synonyms of competition

• tournament
• event
• game
• contest
• match

Examples of competition in a Sentence

Prices are lower when there is competition among the stores.

Don't let the competition know our trade secrets.

They had a competition to see who could sell the most lemonade.

Recent Examples on the Web

Other programme highlights include Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which will arrive in London following its debut in the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026

Only weeks remain before hundreds of thousands of soccer fans are expected to start descending on Kansas City for the first game, on June 16, of the month-long 2026 FIFA World Cup competition. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026

In her Wednesday interview, Sherrill also put the nuclear conversation in the light of the United States’s competition with China. —Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026

In season 1 of the HGTV competition show, Heather and Tarek teamed up against Haack for the ultimate house flipping showdown. —Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin competition-, competitio, from Latin competere — see compete

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing competition

• in competition with
• the competition

Rhymes for competition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition
• deposition

Kids Definition

competition

noun

com·​pe·​ti·​tion ˌkäm-pə-ˈtish-ən 

1

: the act or process of competing

2

a

: a contest between rivals

b

: rivalry

c

: an individual or group one is competing against

look over the competition

3

: the effort of persons or firms to attract business by offering the most favorable terms

4

: the active seeking after and use of an environmental resource (as food) in limited supply by two or more plants or animals or kinds of plants and animals