# competitive

/kəmˈpɛtətɪv/ (US) · /kəmpˈɛtɪtˌɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/competitive
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. wanting to win

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- He is very competitive and hates losing even a simple board game.
- The firm actively recruits competitive individuals who thrive in high-pressure environments where performance is measured against strict monthly targets.

### 2. good value

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- The shop offers very competitive prices on all their electronics.
- To maintain a competitive edge in the global market, the manufacturer had to reduce overhead costs without compromising the integrity of the final product.

### 3. involving competition

adjective · CEFR B1

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

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

- The job market is very competitive right now, with many people applying for one role.
- The telecommunications sector has become increasingly competitive since the government introduced new regulations to break up the state-owned monopoly.

### 4. chemical inhibition

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

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

- The drug works through competitive inhibition to block the virus.
- In competitive inhibition, the antagonist binds to the active site of the enzyme, effectively preventing the substrate from initiating the reaction.

## Examples

- She is very competitive and always wants to win the race.
- The company managed to gain a larger market share by offering highly competitive prices during the holiday season.
- In a globalised economy, maintaining a competitive edge requires not only cost-effective production but also constant innovation and a deep understanding of consumer trends.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.