Synonyms for compete

Most common

vie · contest · contend · rival

All synonyms

Verb

Antonyms

cooperate, collaborate, co-operate

All antonyms of compete →

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend.

Related words

Word family

competent competition competitor

Forms

Past participle

competed
e.g. competed → vied, contested, contended, rivaled…

Example sentences

• contest The presidential election is not a beauty contest.
• rival Algeria needs to beat its regional rival, Morocco.
• contend He had to contend against physical suffering.
• vie I prefer your eau de vie to your conversation.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

vie¹

4 letters

cope¹

5 letters

rival²

6 letters

strive¹

7 letters

contest², contend², emulate³

8 letters

struggle²

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (rival² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français

rivaliser

Italiano

competere

Español

competir

Deutsch

konkurrieren