1
as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tournament
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a contest for the gold medal in diving
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contest
Drew Kann, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The contest aims to challenge negative stereotypes of seagulls, which are often seen as a nuisance, by imitating them, per local network WTV.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
It has been contested almost annually without interruption since 10 years after the end of the Civil War, and on the first Saturday in May for almost a century.
—NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
With early voting underway in races across the state, whoever emerges will take on the winner of the Republicans’ own three-way contest in November’s general election.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
The contest aims to challenge negative stereotypes of seagulls, which are often seen as a nuisance, by imitating them, per local network WTV.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Illinois Supreme Court’s Democratic majority wrote in April 2025 that the plaintiffs waited too long to contest the maps drawn in 2021, but did not address arguments of unconstitutional gerrymandering.
—Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
It has been contested almost annually without interruption since 10 years after the end of the Civil War, and on the first Saturday in May for almost a century.
—NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
Prediction markets have increased competition but have not significantly slowed the industry’s growth.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
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
Noun
-
Argentina earned $42 million for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, an increase from the $38 million awarded to France for winning the 2018 tournament in Russia.—
Anne M. Peterson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
But, at Tom Holland's padel tournament on April 29, that's exactly the case.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The Pittsburgh Penguins staved off elimination for the second straight game with a clutch Game 5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night, but celebrations were briefly halted when a skirmish erupted over a controversial hit on Sidney Crosby after the final buzzer.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Walker, in a 10-pitch skirmish, drew a walk.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meeting a partner’s family can be challenging in any circumstance; anxieties about a family member saying something rude or belittling can only compound that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
The case challenged Louisiana’s congressional map, which included two majority-Black districts out of six in a state where about one-third of the population is Black.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In December, Chelsea’s players looked inexplicably unprepared for the intensity of this long-time rivalry and were caught out via defensive errors.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
They also are slotted to host an ACC opponent, probably the Blue Devils, and an annual rivalry game against Florida State (on the road this year).—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Trump has argued that last weekend’s shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner demonstrates why the ballroom is needed to hold safe, secure events for the president and other officials.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Our Consider This event takes place on Thursday, May 7 on the Universal lot, with a reception to follow at the Peacock Grill.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Voters will probably be bombarded with political ads and arguments from opposing sides as the battle intensifies.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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The Koh-i-Noor then spent 70 years in Afghanistan, where it was passed around by leaders who won bloody battles against one another.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With the third-year pro also coming off a subpar 2025 campaign, Wells’ offensive capabilities have been the subject of questioning in recent weeks and months.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Republican has built a reputation in part due to his willingness to question the federal government’s role in releasing classified information.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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