1
as in rivalries
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 tournaments
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 skirmishes
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 challenges
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contests
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Carolina is 7-3 in one-score contests.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Jan. 2026
That follows a stretch of 12 contests in which just one opponent, Princeton, converted 10 or more long-distance shots against KU (Princeton hit 10).
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
In their first three contests without Jokic and Valanciunas, they were doubled up on offensive rebounds (40-20), outscored 61-30 on second-chance points and outrebounded overall by 38.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
Discussions about improved access to the beach date back 15 years, when concerns were brought up during one of the bigger surf contests, the Nike Lowers Pro, between the nonprofit and the event organizers.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
All of the other contests won’t lack for intensity either given how most Illinoisans feel.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
The Democratic Party is currently reevaluating its calendar for when those early contests will occur, but Hackett said Democrats hoping to run are still covering their bases.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2025
Gorst came back in both contests, including a late-night quarterfinal against Michael Baoanan, a player from the Philippines who was backed by a sizable cheering section that created a rowdier atmosphere.
—Jeremy Herb, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The high court’s decision did not address the underlying merits of the lawsuit, which contests the Department of Homeland Security’s revocation policy.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
If the president contests that decision, Congress must resolve the dispute, requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to maintain the vice president's authority.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
Miami’s win Thursday improved the ACC’s record to 9-4 in bowl games and dropped the SEC to 2-8 this postseason (playoff and bowl games) in contests not involving two SEC schools.
—Verb
Here, Sarr successfully contests a 13-foot floater by Tyler Kolek.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for contests
Noun
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Anyone who has followed the devastating violence in California’s prisons knows that gang rivalries trigger a lot of the bloodshed.—
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With the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers set to face off in Saturday nights' playoff game, some local couples are hoping love can overcome even the biggest of rivalries.—
Noun
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His father, Chris, a longtime broadcaster for Swedish station SVT, has worked 20 of the tournaments.—
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Before coming to Minnesota this year, the World Juniors title had been won by either Canada or the United States for the previous six tournaments.—
Noun
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Hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced from their homes in both countries when border skirmishes broke out for the second time this year.—
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For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-kilometer (508-mile) land border – a dispute that has occasionally exploded into skirmishes and fighting.—
Verb
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January challenges you to reconcile comfort with growth.—
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It’s been framing its fight against Disney as one for consumers, a case that challenges the old guard’s pricing playbook.—
Noun
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De Laurentiis took all the chaos in stride and was the expert judge for the cooking portion of the outrageous lineup of competitions.—
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The Midwest's best winter fests include big-city ice-carving competitions as well as cozy small-town gatherings.—
Noun
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Purdy missed eight of the first 10 games with a toe injury, Kittle was out six with hamstring and ankle injuries, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk went AWOL after a 2024 knee injury.—
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Though the Heat is returning home for three games, Miami won’t be heavily favored to win any of them.—
Noun
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Since Assad’s ousting, Syria has seen flare-ups of deadly sectarian violence, with clashes erupting between security forces and those loyal to the former president, including in Syria’s coastal Latakia region in March.—
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As for South Sudan, a senior United Nations official said earlier this week that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is causing destabilization in South Sudan, including armed clashes and food insecurity.—
Verb
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Continue reading … WAR OF WORDS – Rubio fires back as ABC host repeatedly questions US authority over Venezuela.—
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Commanders questions Commanders coach Dan Quinn is expected back for the 2026 season, though changes to the offense and the defense remain possible after Washington has slumped to a 4-12 record.—
Cite this Entry
“Contests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contests. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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