competitive

adjective

com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpe-tə-tiv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
Synonyms of competitive
1
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
a competitive marketplace
2
: inclined, desiring, or suited to compete
a competitive personality
competitive interest rates
3
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitively adverb
competitiveness noun

Examples of competitive in a Sentence

She is a very competitive player. You need a degree to be competitive in today's job market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Maybe the veteran coach — who is extremely guarded and believes in maintaining a competitive advantage — doesn’t want to put any more plays of Matt Nagy’s offense on film. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026 However, Celebrini is playing the long game to make sure the team is competitive in the years to come. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Without significant growth in hardware sales, software revenue will need to be found elsewhere—in new markets, on other devices, and in a much more competitive market space. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Scientists say that in addition to reducing climate pollution, renewable energy and battery technologies are increasingly price competitive with traditional energy sources. — Ava Berger, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for competitive

Word History

Etymology

see competition

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of competitive was in 1829

Phrases Containing competitive

Rhymes for competitive

See All Rhymes for competitive

Browse Nearby Words

competitioner
competitive
competitive exclusion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

competitive

adjective
com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
competitive bidding
competitively adverb
competitiveness noun

Medical Definition

competitive

adjective
com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitive protein binding
competitively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on competitive

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for competitive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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