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
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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
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3
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to challenge
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contest
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
His writing has also been recognized nationally in the Associated Press Sports Editors’ writing contest.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
An off-balance, contested 3-pointer from junior forward Andrew Meadow that bounced off the rim and into the hands of an Aztec at the end of triple overtime will be the defining memory for Boise State (9-5, 1-2 Mountain West) in a 110-107 loss to San Diego State (9-4, 3-0).
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
Richardson appeared in his 12th consecutive contest and entered the game two minutes after Penda late in the first quarter.
—Verb
Aside from occasional exceptions, the Bruins have contested in every game.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
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That simple change would introduce real competition, allowing merchants to choose lower-cost options and forcing the dominant players to compete on price and service--just like any other market.—
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Two years ago at the Winter X Games, Kim became the first woman to pull off a 1260-degree spin in competition.—
Noun
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England play their last two World Cup qualifiers over the next eight days, against Serbia and Albania, but have already secured their place at the finals and preparations are underway for the tournament.—
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The team is third in its group and cannot finish first to qualify automatically for next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, or even second to get into the playoffs.—
Noun
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Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.—
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Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.—
Verb
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However, former Federal Air Marshal Peter Johnson — who founded Archway Defense, which has trained state, local and federal law enforcement in firearms for the past decade — told WCCO the street is not the place to challenge a federal agent's orders.—
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Bringing back engagement Longbow also wants to challenge how electric cars feel from behind the wheel.—
Noun
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Small and middle powers, particularly those from the Global South, are stepping into this breach and providing an essential public good that great powers, bound by their own rivalries, increasingly cannot.—
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And there is a friendly rivalry there.—
Noun
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The recognition places Atlas among the most notable technology debuts at the annual consumer electronics event, concluding on Friday, and signals growing confidence in humanoid robots moving from demos to real industrial work.—
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From comfort food classics to more elevated plates, several bites stood out at a preview event.—
Noun
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With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.—
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Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.—
Verb
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England only played one warm-up match before the series, against an England Lions team, while McCullum’s attack-minded philosophy has also been questioned amid a number of hapless dismissals during the series.—
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The striking parallels between the two regimes have led many observers to turn their attention to Iran and question whether the ailing Khamenei could face a similar fate.—
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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