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
Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Since 2011, Biglari has run seven proxy contests at Cracker Barrel, according to The Wall Street Journal.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 23 Sep. 2025
Mike Shriberg, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025
Diggs filed a response to the suit, contesting that the baby is his.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contest
Noun
McCarthy will join the team for its two-week trip to Europe that features a contest with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin next Sunday before a game against the Cleveland Browns in London the following week.
—Verb
Enbridge refused to comply and has contested the validity of the Bad River Band’s decision, inherently challenging the tribe’s sovereignty.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for contest
Noun
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The Ryder Cup is the one competition in golf that should be played in front of an intense, feverish crowd, the kind that can’t be captured by the virtual reality headsets European captain Luke Donald gave his players.—
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But turning lethal combat into a competition creates moral challenges on an entirely new scale, and solving them does not seem high on Ukraine’s present list of priorities.—
Noun
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The story of this tournament had been the clashes between fans and Team Europe’s stars, with McIlroy at the center of it.—
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After the final match of the day concluded on the Bethpage Black golf course, the action headed over to the Frick Collection in Manhattan, where the luxury brand hosted an elegant gala dinner in honor of the tournament.—
Noun
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All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
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Although the Hatfield-McCoy relationship has been fraught since the birth of the medium, streaming and cord-cutting has turned financial skirmishes into an existential contest.—
Verb
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Ultimately, Sonder aims to challenge narrow definitions of masculinity by presenting a spectrum of intimacy and tension, and by highlighting its fluidity.—
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Moreover, winds from the southeast at 6 km/h may challenge players’ speed control on approach shots and putts.—
Noun
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Since the 1960s, a total of 18 Metro Nashville Public Schools have closed, and some very heated football rivalries ended with those closings.—
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But there’s no question that these tools are transforming the job experience for many tech workers amid an intense rivalry between leading AI companies to make the best one.—
Noun
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Kelly opened her speech by telling the students that Charlie Kirk had been really looking forward to coming to this event.—
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From splurge-worthy sales to dazzling holiday collections, there is much to look forward to… though few events get the gals going like Merit’s signature makeup bag remix.—
Noun
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Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin return at power forward, while Aaron Nesmith is set to start on the wing, and Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson battle for the center spot.—
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Democratic attorneys general are no strangers to using their offices to fight political battles.—
Verb
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The Israel Defense Forces’ chief of staff, Maj Gen Eyal Zamir, adamantly opposed the latest decision to take over Gaza City, and questioned the high-risk operation targeting Hamas leadership in Qatar.—
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Some have questioned the logic of building an artificial surf lagoon so close to the ocean.—
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contest. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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