Definitions
01a competition
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a competition or game that people try to win.
n. an event in which people compete for supremacy in a particular field or to win a prize.
日本語:コンテスト※
“She entered a photography contest to see if she could win the grand prize.”
“The local council organised a design contest to find the most innovative architectural solution for the new community centre.”
Synonyms
02a struggle for power
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a struggle or fight between two people or groups to see who is better or stronger.
n. a struggle for superiority or victory between opposing forces or individuals.
日本語:争い※
“The election was a close contest between the two main political parties.”
“The leadership contest revealed deep ideological divisions within the party that had been ignored for years.”
03to challenge a decision
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to say formally that you do not agree with something and try to change it.
v. to challenge or dispute the validity or accuracy of a statement, decision, or result.
日本語:争う※
“The family decided to contest the will because they thought it was unfair.”
“Lawyers for the defendant announced their intention to contest the evidence, claiming it had been obtained through illegal means.”
04to compete for something
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to compete for a position or to try to win an election.
v. to engage in a competition or struggle in order to win or achieve something.
“Several candidates are planning to contest the seat in the upcoming election.”
“The two companies continue to contest the market for high-end smartphones, each releasing new features every autumn.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “contest” in context.
Verb
01. enter a contest
“Thousands of aspiring writers enter the short story contest every year.”
verb + noun
02. judge a contest
“A panel of local experts was invited to judge the baking contest.”
verb + noun
03. withdraw from a contest
“The athlete had to withdraw from the contest due to a sudden knee injury.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
04. close contest
“It was a very close contest, with only two points separating the teams.”
adj + noun
05. fierce contest
“There is a fierce contest for the few remaining seats in the parliament.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. beauty contest
“She decided to participate in the local beauty contest to gain more confidence.”
noun + noun
07. winner of the contest
“The winner of the contest will receive a cash prize and a trophy.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. in a contest
“The two companies are currently locked in a contest for market dominance.”
prep + noun
09. contest to domestic
Real-World Examples
“On paper, it is a contest over who will run a state of about 4.7 million people.” “The Black Sea location has been selected after Bulgarian singer Dara won this year's contest.” “Since the EBU includes members from outside Europe, the contest is not limited to European countries.” “Without someone to interview there’d be no programme.” Instead there’s a gushing contest between host and guest.” Etymology
PIE word *tréyes From French contester, from Old French, from Latin contestor (“to call to witness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/contest
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR