1
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tournaments
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in skirmishes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in challenges
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contests
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Quickly turning from hobby to profession, Trcka placed at the top of local bodybuilding contests and continued competing at the national level for decades.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
A number of newspapers in town held similar contests, Morse says, including the now-defunct Chicago Inter Ocean, which published from 1865 to 1914.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Bonin said Raman’s entry could nevertheless energize progressive voters and reshape dynamics beyond the mayor’s race, with potential ripple effects across down-ballot contests.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
As those votes were tallied, several close contests in 2024 moved in Democrats’ direction.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
There's also the annual Stowe Winter Carnival in late January, which features everything from snow sculpture contests to live music.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The college regular season is 56 games while MLB's slate is a marathon with 162 contests stretching from late March to late September.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Showdown contests are a different animal compared with a Sunday main slate.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Yohuru Williams, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
One suit contests privacy-protection methods; the other seeks to exclude undocumented immigrants from numbers used to redraw congressional districts.
—Mike Schneider, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Here, Sarr successfully contests a 13-foot floater by Tyler Kolek.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The high court’s decision did not address the underlying merits of the lawsuit, which contests the Department of Homeland Security’s revocation policy.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
If the president contests that decision, Congress must resolve the dispute, requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to maintain the vice president's authority.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
The rookie Richardson is the son of Jason Richardson, who won back-to-back dunk contests in 2002 and 2003.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026
Quickly turning from hobby to profession, Trcka placed at the top of local bodybuilding contests and continued competing at the national level for decades.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
A number of newspapers in town held similar contests, Morse says, including the now-defunct Chicago Inter Ocean, which published from 1865 to 1914.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Bonin said Raman’s entry could nevertheless energize progressive voters and reshape dynamics beyond the mayor’s race, with potential ripple effects across down-ballot contests.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
As those votes were tallied, several close contests in 2024 moved in Democrats’ direction.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
There's also the annual Stowe Winter Carnival in late January, which features everything from snow sculpture contests to live music.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The college regular season is 56 games while MLB's slate is a marathon with 162 contests stretching from late March to late September.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Showdown contests are a different animal compared with a Sunday main slate.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
One lawsuit contests the federal government’s refusal to allow the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
—Yohuru Williams, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
One suit contests privacy-protection methods; the other seeks to exclude undocumented immigrants from numbers used to redraw congressional districts.
—Mike Schneider, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Here, Sarr successfully contests a 13-foot floater by Tyler Kolek.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
The high court’s decision did not address the underlying merits of the lawsuit, which contests the Department of Homeland Security’s revocation policy.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
If the president contests that decision, Congress must resolve the dispute, requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to maintain the vice president's authority.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contests
Noun
-
As a 10-time world champion who’s entering her fifth, and final, Winter Olympics, American hockey star Hilary Knight, 35, has played a key role in energizing one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The sport was built on rivalries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
High school culinary classes and a first job at Bob Evans Farmhouse Kitchen propelled her into a gig at Muirfield Village Golf Club, working tournaments.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That doesn’t include tournaments, and the costs associated with travel.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And while his 11 years with the Yankees were often marked with verbal skirmishes with George Steinbrenner, in 1982 the Boss showed his respect for Nettles’ baseball acumen and quiet clubhouse leadership to name him the first Yankee captain since Thurman Munson’s death in 1979.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit challenges the city of Hobart’s Plan Commission decision to convert a site plan review application into a fill permit during a public meeting, despite the application lacking basic information required under city ordinance.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Look for anything that challenges you.—
Amanda Gardner,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The area, with an altitude of nearly 6,000 feet, plays host to all freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions and has three hotels that were transformed into an Olympic village.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
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The most obvious competitions look to be for the final roster spots in the bullpen and the outfield.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Her prowess in goal has O'Connor in strong position for a playoff spot in third place in District 28-6A entering Friday's games, with a shot to challenge for the district title.—
Jeffrey Perkins,
San Antonio Express-News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Attending Globetrotters games in Philadelphia with his father and brothers every year helped Artis fall in love with basketball.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Subsequent border clashes with Cambodia allowed Anutin to recast himself as a wartime leader after his popularity initially slipped because of floods and financial scandals.—
GRANT PECK,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Their goal with the video was to push back against the president’s domestic troop deployments, a trend his critics feared might lead to clashes with ordinary Americans or be used to interfere in upcoming elections.—
Missy Ryan,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Market questions Another important factor has been a wobbly stock market this year, Friday’s massive rally notwithstanding.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The petition, by Miami-Dade County resident Elizabeth Pines and Broward County resident Eugene Pettis, also questions DeSantis’ directive to Secretary of State Cord Byrd, which included a delay in Congressional qualifying from the week of April 20 to June 8 to June 12.—
Jim Turner,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contests. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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