1
as in competition
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tournament
a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize
a contest for the gold medal in diving
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contest
Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2025
Rubio was a fierce Trump critic during the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025
Brian Mazique, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
His hand placement when contesting shots in the paint has room for improvement.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contest 
Noun
Plus, a costume contest and drinks and snacks in a warming tent.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2025
Rubio was a fierce Trump critic during the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
When Edwards and Maddalena clash, the fight could be contested in a variety of ways.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
His hand placement when contesting shots in the paint has room for improvement.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
-
Making better use of A.I., Mr. Burns said, is crucial to the U.S. competition with China.—
Julian E. Barnes,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Howe’s men will share the club record of nine consecutive victories across all competitions with Kevin Keegan’s vintage (May to September 1994) and Rafa Benitez’s Championship-winning side (September to November 2016).—
Chris Waugh,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
This obsession has become his top priority, guiding him in organizing his practice and tournament schedule for the upcoming year.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
-
That’s three tournament championships this season for the Monarchs . .—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Navigating the map from an overworld view, akin to looking at a tabletop game from above, leads to quicker, bite-sized skirmishes, optional short objectives, and requests from characters that build up your bonds.—
Diego Argüello,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2025
-
There’s usually not even time for trash talk between opponents; that has to wait for the inevitable post-whistle skirmish.—
Mark Lazerus,
The Athletic,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The order directs the Bureau of Prisons to halt the use of federal dollars for gender-affirming care, something several incarcerated trans people have successfully challenged in court.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Cutting costs will be challenging with the initiatives Trump is proposing.—
Brian Bennett,
TIME,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
But Kendrick did not have to straddle a white-hot rivalry like Velazquez.—
Matt Baker,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
-
While opposed by every government in the region, ISIS-K has exploited insecurity and international rivalries to entrench itself as one of the world's deadliest and most unpredictable non-state actors in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The event comes as an Arctic blast affects more than half the U.S. population.—
Aïda Amer,
Axios,
22 Jan. 2025
-
While Musk was busy rubbing elbows with other billionaires at the event — namely, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Bezos' fiancée, Lauren Sanchez — all eyes were on Musk and Zilis' interaction, as the two keep their exact relationship status private.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Rose served in the band from its inception in 1977 to 2017, after Willis regained 50 percent of the copyright to the band in a protracted legal battle.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
20 Jan. 2025
-
In a YouTube video released in October, Jake Paul announced his endorsement for Trump for the 2024 election and drew a bold comparison between the president-elect's legal battles and the historic struggles of America's Founding Fathers.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of questioning or challenging this new age of nationalism, Washington has contributed to it.—
Michael Brenes,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Jan. 2025
-
For parents and educators, this means teaching the next generation not only how to use AI but how to question it, challenge it, and shape its evolution.—
Dan Fitzpatrick,
Forbes,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near contest
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share