competitive

adjective

com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpe-tə-tiv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
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.
Durbin’s decision to leave kickstarts what is expected to be a competitive primary among Illinois Democrats who are looking to succeed him. Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 Our system is designed to create competitive opportunity across the league where every team, if well-managed, has a chance to compete for a championship. Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Instead, Russell’s arrival coincided with Mercedes’ competitive regression, losing a step on Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren over the opening years of the current era of car design regulations. Luke Smith, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 To move inventory, dealers across the country are offering competitive deals on new models, including luxury brands. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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