ENGLISH
REFERENCE

competitive

adj.
US //kəmˈpɛtətɪv// UK //kəmpˈɛtɪtˌɪv// com·pet·i·tive
  1. 1 wanting to win (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing a person who has a strong desire to be more successful than others.

    describing an individual's psychological inclination toward rivalry and the desire to outperform others.

    Example

    He is very competitive and hates losing even a simple board game.

    Example

    The firm actively recruits competitive individuals who thrive in high-pressure environments where performance is measured against strict monthly targets.
  2. 2 good value (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Economics

    describing a price or product that is as good as or better than others in the same market.

    denoting a price, quality, or service level that is sufficiently attractive to compete effectively with rivals.

    Example

    The shop offers very competitive prices on all their electronics.

    Example

    To maintain a competitive edge in the global market, the manufacturer had to reduce overhead costs without compromising the integrity of the final product.
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  1. 3 involving competition (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    relating to a situation where people or companies are trying to be more successful than each other.

    pertaining to or involving a contest or rivalry between two or more parties.

    Example

    The job market is very competitive right now, with many people applying for one role.

    Example

    The telecommunications sector has become increasingly competitive since the government introduced new regulations to break up the state-owned monopoly.
    • rivalrous
  2. 4 chemical inhibition (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    describing a substance that stops another from working by trying to take its place.

    relating to the inhibition of a chemical substance by another competing for the same binding site.

    Example

    The drug works through competitive inhibition to block the virus.

    Example

    In competitive inhibition, the antagonist binds to the active site of the enzyme, effectively preventing the substrate from initiating the reaction.
    • non competitive
Origin

From Latin competītus (past participle of competere) + -ive.

Word family

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