as in competitive
having or marked by a strong desire to win or be better than others
The competing salespeople were all trying to lure the same customers.
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Dissimilar Words
as in contending
to engage in a contest
prizefighters competing for the world heavyweight championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of competing
Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Pope Leo’s emphasis on respect and dialogue suggests a desire to move beyond polarization, but competing interpretations of both doctrine and pastoral practice continue to divide American Catholics.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Even making a slightly lower offer may be more viable when sellers know there are fewer competing bids.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
The Department intends to stop funding both 2025 new awards and non-competing continuations for these seven grant programs.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adversaries appear as competing bids, regulatory hurdles or stakeholders with diverging agendas.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus return to defend their titles, along with American tennis stars Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and more competing.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2025
With pickup truck prices ever increasing—the F-150 starts at nearly $40,000—and competitors like Slate Auto offering simpler competing vehicles for lower prices, that’s meaningful.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Everybody's always looking, curious, competing and that's a really difficult thing, especially for a female actor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Critics argued that the hotel industry was already faced with the minimum wage changes and low demand, and increasing taxes by any amount could send tourists to competing hotels in nearby cities.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
That leaves World Series hero Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez and Ben Casparius as well as Justin Wrobleski, non-roster invitee Ryder Ryan (River’s older brother) and any spillover from the starting rotation competing for two or three spots.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Bowing to popular demand, Fennell’s lackluster film doesn’t really bother with the stylistic flourishes of the source — this is really just the Cathy and Heathcliffe show, two awful people competing to destroy each other and threatening to take us to hell with them into the bargain.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Bueckers is the only UConn alumna on the roster announced Wednesday, but several of Team USA’s biggest stars are not competing in the qualifying tournament.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Ruohonen has been competing at the top levels of curling for more than 30 years — longer than his Gen Z team members have been alive.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
Vonn was competing at the Olympics despite tearing her ACL during a World Cup event in late January.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
After it was announced earlier this week that Magic rookie Jase Richardson would be one of four players competing in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, the young Orlando guard took to social media to share his reaction.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Rodríguez represents just one of multiple and competing interests within a Venezuela elite composed of a precarious civil-military alliance officially committed to a leftist populist ideology called Chavismo.
—Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Pope Leo’s emphasis on respect and dialogue suggests a desire to move beyond polarization, but competing interpretations of both doctrine and pastoral practice continue to divide American Catholics.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Even making a slightly lower offer may be more viable when sellers know there are fewer competing bids.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2025
The Department intends to stop funding both 2025 new awards and non-competing continuations for these seven grant programs.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adversaries appear as competing bids, regulatory hurdles or stakeholders with diverging agendas.
—Jessica Billingsley, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
Men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus return to defend their titles, along with American tennis stars Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and more competing.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2025
With pickup truck prices ever increasing—the F-150 starts at nearly $40,000—and competitors like Slate Auto offering simpler competing vehicles for lower prices, that’s meaningful.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Everybody's always looking, curious, competing and that's a really difficult thing, especially for a female actor.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Verb
What’s interesting about this story … is that Eileen Gu is an American skier competing for China.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Critics argued that the hotel industry was already faced with the minimum wage changes and low demand, and increasing taxes by any amount could send tourists to competing hotels in nearby cities.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
That leaves World Series hero Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez and Ben Casparius as well as Justin Wrobleski, non-roster invitee Ryder Ryan (River’s older brother) and any spillover from the starting rotation competing for two or three spots.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 2026
Bowing to popular demand, Fennell’s lackluster film doesn’t really bother with the stylistic flourishes of the source — this is really just the Cathy and Heathcliffe show, two awful people competing to destroy each other and threatening to take us to hell with them into the bargain.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Bueckers is the only UConn alumna on the roster announced Wednesday, but several of Team USA’s biggest stars are not competing in the qualifying tournament.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Ruohonen has been competing at the top levels of curling for more than 30 years — longer than his Gen Z team members have been alive.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
Vonn was competing at the Olympics despite tearing her ACL during a World Cup event in late January.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
After it was announced earlier this week that Magic rookie Jase Richardson would be one of four players competing in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, the young Orlando guard took to social media to share his reaction.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competing
Adjective
-
If guys aren’t going to hold themselves to certain competitive standards, Gobert suggested, Wolves coach Chris Finch should start benching the culprits.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The Celtics then took that momentum into a competitive fourth quarter that included four lead changes and four ties, completing the comeback win.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That could be a make-or-break stretch for the Sharks, with three games against non-playoff-contending teams that could be especially important for keeping the roster together.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
One of only three teams in the league without a deadline move, with the highly competitive and contending San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets being the others.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The mountainous region is one of various points in the state where a turf war has played out for more than a year between two rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Both victims in that case are uncharged suspects in the 2021 killing of Bert Brigham III, a fatal shooting that Oakland police attributed to a feud between two rival gangs in East Oakland, court records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Just a player who’s like fighting and clawing to play versus looking for a reason maybe not to.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Now, Mendoza tells CNN, the couple is no longer fighting to remain the United States.—
Susana Erazo,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Bring along a non-driving guest to enjoy the hotel part of the program for $350.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That’s because Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old legend racing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, violently crashed just 13 seconds into her race, losing control on the first jump as her pole hit a gate, turning sideways in the air and slamming to the ground.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In Prince George’s County, a woman driving well above the legal alcohol limit and racing another car at speeds topping 100 miles per hour crashed into another car, killing three young men.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Side hustling for job security comes at a personal cost.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
According to a transcript, under cross-examination by attorney Lee Rothman, Hennen admitted to drug dealing, gambling rip-offs, and hustling pool throughout the Northeast and Midwest.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But seeking to expedite deportation has become a common action against asylum-seekers and other immigrants now battling their removal from the country in immigration courts.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Porzingis is currently battling POTS, a syndrome often tied to Long COVID.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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