Synonyms for competition
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Rivalry
2. Competitor
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The action of competing.
The competition for this job is strong.
- n. 2
A contest for a prize or award.
The newspaper is featuring a competition to win a car.
Related words
- Word family
- competitioner competitive compete competent
- Phrases
- competition wallah wet t-shirt competition
Forms
- Plural
- competitions → rivalries, contentions, struggles, strifes…
Choose the right word
Competition is the striving for something that is sought by another at the same time. We speak of competition in business, emulation in scholarship, rivalry in love, politics, etc.; emulation of excellence, success, achievement; competition for a prize; rivalry between persons or nations.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- rivalry A kind of rivalry developed between father and son.
- contention It's always been a point of contention between us.
- strife This is nothing other than stirring up ethnic strife.
- match The coin toss decides who will kick off the match.
- competitor The company bought their fiercest competitor.
- contest The presidential election is not a beauty contest.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| competition | steady | |
| rivalry | steady | |
| contention | falling | |
| strife | steady | |
| match | rising | |
| competitor | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- race1
- 5 letters
- match1, rival2
- 6 letters
- strife1
- 7 letters
- contest2, rivalry3
- 8 letters
- struggle2
- 9 letters
- contender3, emulation4
- 10 letters
- opposition4, competitor4, contention3, challenger3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (rival2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- compétition
- Italiano
- competizione
- Deutsch
- Konkurrenz