ENGLISH
REFERENCE

compete

v.
US //kəmˈpit// UK //kəmpˈiːt// com·pete
  1. 1 to take part in a contest (v.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

    to take part in a race, a game, or a competition.

    to participate in an organized event or contest against other participants.

    Example

    Thousands of runners from all over the world compete in the London Marathon every year.

    Example

    Professional athletes often spend years training for the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games, where the margin between victory and defeat is measured in milliseconds.

    Usage

    Usually takes the preposition 'in' for the event and 'against' or 'with' for the opponent.
    Pitfall
    He competed the race yesterday.
    He competed in the race yesterday.

    The verb 'compete' is intransitive; you must use 'in' before the event you are participating in.

  2. 2 to strive for success in business (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to try to be better or more successful than other people or companies.

    to strive to gain or win something that another is also trying to gain, such as market share or a specific reward.

    Example

    Small local shops find it very difficult to compete with large supermarkets on price.

    Example

    In a globalized economy, corporations must constantly innovate to compete effectively against emerging tech firms that offer lower overhead costs and faster delivery times.

    Usage

    Commonly followed by 'with' or 'against' to identify the rival entity.
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  1. 3 to be good enough to win (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to be as good as others so that you have a chance of winning.

    to possess the necessary quality or skill to be a viable contender in a specific arena.

    Example

    The team played well, but they simply couldn't compete at this high level.

    Example

    While the prototype showed promise, the engineering team realized the current battery life was insufficient to compete in the premium smartphone market.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense often appears in the negative ('cannot compete') to describe something that is not of a high enough standard.
    • measure up
    • hold one's own
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French competer, from Latin competere (“to coincide, to be equal to, to be capable of”), from com- (“with”) + petō (“to seek; to aim for, strive for”). Compare Latin competītor (“competitor”).

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