COMPETE


Meaning of COMPETE in English

kəmˈpēt, usu -ēd.+V intransitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Latin competere to come together, agree, be suitable, belong, compete for, from com- + petere to go to, head for, seek — more at feather

1. : to seek or strive for something (as a position, possession, reward) for which others are also contending : vie with another or others for or as if for a prize

compete with top-notch performers

a team that competes against other teams

compete for top honors

the children competed with one another in seeing who could eat the most

2.

a. : to stand comparison (as in fitness or value)

the steam locomotive could no longer compete with the diesel

b. : to come into rivalry especially in economic value, usefulness, or efficiency

rayon is seriously competing with wool in … fall and winter clothing — Desmond Reilly

Synonyms:

contend , contest : compete may indicate simply the fact of struggle to win out over others, or to continue to exist despite the strength and efforts of others, or it may be used in reference to organized contests

New Hampshire cannot compete with its neighboring State of Maine in raising potatoes — American Guide Series: N.H

the dinosaurs were unable to compete successfully with the smaller mammals

only at its best does the drama compete with the novel in finalities — Bernard De Veto

the teams competing in the tournament

contend may suggest vigorous striving and struggling against an equal or stronger adversary

a gray stone castle, for whose keep Bruces and Comyns and Macdowalls contended seven centuries ago — John Buchan

two Greek schools of thought, the Stoic and the Epicurean, contended for the allegiance of Romans who aspired to philosophy — Benjamin Farrington

the passions and hopes which he had excited had become too strong for him to contend against — J.A.Froude

contest is often a close synonym of compete; typically, it may apply to a struggle that is limited, bounded, and definite in outcome, as a debate, race, match, fight, or battle

New Orleans was … contesting with New York for first place among American ports — American Guide Series: Louisiana

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.