COMPETE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for COMPETE?

Need another word that means the same as “compete”? Find 39 synonyms and 30 related words for “compete” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Compete” are: contend, vie, take part, play, be a contestant, be a competitor, participate, be involved, get involved, engage, fight, battle, clash, tussle, grapple, wrestle, wrangle, jockey, wage war, cross swords, lock horns, go head to head, rival, challenge, keep up with, keep pace with, compare with, be the equal of, match up to, match, be on a par with, be in the same class as, be in the same league as, come near to, come close to, touch, approach, approximate, emulate

Compete as a Verb

Definitions of "Compete" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “compete” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Be able to rival another or others.
• Take part in a contest.
• Strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others.
• Compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others.

Synonyms of "Compete" as a verb (39 Words)

approach	Come near or nearer to (someone or something) in distance or time. His playing approaches that of Horowitz.
approximate	Come close or be similar to something in quality, nature, or quantity. Reality can be approximated by computational techniques.
battle	Battle or contend against in or as if in a battle. Firefighters battled a 9 800 acre brush fire.
be a competitor	Happen, occur, take place.
be a contestant	To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted — used only in infinitive form.
be in the same class as	Be identical to; be someone or something.
be in the same league as	Have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun.
be involved	Represent, as of a character on stage.
be on a par with	Represent, as of a character on stage.
be the equal of	Have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun.
challenge	Issue a challenge to. A new way of life that would challenge them.
clash	(of colours) appear discordant or ugly when placed close to each other. The yellow shirt clashed with her purple skirt.
come close to	Reach or enter a state, relation, condition, use, or position.
come near to	Exist or occur in a certain point in a series.
compare with	Consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous.
contend	Come to terms with. He contends that the judge was wrong.
cross swords	Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of.
emulate	Compete with successfully; approach or reach equality with. This artist s drawings cannot emulate his water colors.
engage	Engage or hire for work. Engage aid help services or support.
fight	Fight against or resist strongly. General Hill fights his troops well.
get involved	Cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition.
go head to head	Be ranked or compare.
grapple	Succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available. He grappled the young man around the throat.
jockey	Ride a racehorse as a professional jockey. Both men will be jockeying for the two top jobs.
keep pace with	Keep in a certain state, position, or activity.
keep up with	Keep under control; keep in check.
lock horns	Build locks in order to facilitate the navigation of vessels.
match	Make equal uniform corresponding or matching. Try to match the colour scheme and graphics of your site to your business culture.
match up to	Make correspond or harmonize.
participate	Have or possess (a particular quality. Thousands participated in a nationwide strike.
play	Make a disc music player or other device produce sounds or recorded images. He plays the flute.
rival	Be the rival of be in competition with. Nothing can rival cotton for durability.
take part	Require as useful, just, or proper.
touch	Be relevant to. He touched his toes to the horse s flanks.
tussle	Make messy or untidy. The demonstrators tussled with police.
vie	Compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something. The athletes were vying for a place in the British team.
wage war	Carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns.
wrangle	To quarrel noisily, angrily or disruptively. The horses were wrangled early.
wrestle	Combat to overcome an opposing tendency or force. I wrestled with this decision for years.

Usage Examples of "Compete" as a verb

• Universities are competing for applicants.
• He competed with a number of other candidates.
• He competed in numerous track meets as a child.
• No one can compete with his physical prowess.

Associations of "Compete" (30 Words)

antagonist	A substance which interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another. He turned to confront his antagonist.
athlete	A person who takes part in competitive track and field events (athletics). He had the broad shouldered build of a natural athlete.
battle	Battle or contend against in or as if in a battle. They battled over the budget.
challenger	The contestant you hope to defeat. A potential challenger for the party leadership.
competition	The activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. He wanted to know what the competition was doing.
competitor	An organization or country engaged in commercial or economic competition with others. Two competitors were banned for taking drugs.
contend	Succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available. She had to contend with his uncertain temper.
contender	The contestant you hope to defeat. A presidential contender.
contention	The act of competing as for profit or a prize. The teams were in fierce contention for first place.
contest	An occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants. She declared her intention to contest the presidency.
counterpart	One of two copies of a legal document. The minister held talks with his French counterpart.
emasculate	Remove the testicles of a male animal. In his mind her success emasculated him.
encounter	Come together. His close encounter with death.
enemy	A personal enemy. Enemy aircraft.
marathoner	Someone who participates in long-distance races (especially in marathons.
nemesis	The inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall. One risks nemesis by uttering such words.
objector	A person who expresses opposition to or disagreement with something. Objectors to the housing plans.
opponent	Someone who competes with or opposes another in a contest, game, or argument. Against superior opponents they fell two goals behind.
oppose	Contrast with equal weight or force. A workers movement opposed the regime.
opposing	Characterized by active hostility. On the opposing page there were two addresses.
outmaneuver	Defeat by more skillful maneuvering. The English troops outmaneuvered the Germans.
outwit	Beat through cleverness and wit. Ray had outwitted many an opponent.
overtake	Catch up with and possibly overtake. Disaster overtook the town in 1296.
rival	Be the rival of be in competition with. Nothing can rival cotton for durability.
rivalry	The act of competing as for profit or a prize. There always has been intense rivalry between the clubs.
scourge	Punish severely; excoriate. Our people did scourge him severely.
strive	Attempt by employing effort. Scholars must strive against bias.
struggle	To exert strenuous effort against opposition. The centre is the result of the scientists struggle to realize their dream.
unseat	Remove from political office. The Republicans are trying to unseat the liberal Democrat.
vie	Compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something. The athletes were vying for a place in the British team.