ENGLISH
REFERENCE

competition

n. C / U
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən// UK //kˌɒmpətˈɪʃən// com·pe·ti·tion General-service

n. an event or situation where people try to win something or be more successful than others.

n. an organized event in which people contend for a prize or superiority; also the general process of competing against others for resources or market share.


SIMPLE

She won first prize in the swimming competition.

CONTEXTUAL

The local bakery faces stiff competition from the new supermarket that opened across the street.

COMPLEX

In a free market, healthy competition between firms is expected to drive innovation and lower prices for the average consumer, though it can also lead to aggressive cost-cutting measures.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Borrowed from French compétition, from Late Latin competītiō, competītiōnem, from Latin competō, from con- + petō. By surface analysis, compete + -ition.

Usage

Countable when referring to a specific event or contest; uncountable when referring to the abstract concept of rivalry or the group of people competing.

Pitfall

The competition of the two teams was intenseThe competition between the two teams was intenseWhen describing a rivalry involving two specific parties, 'between' is the standard preposition used with this noun.

© 2026 English Reference