competitively

competitively — adverb

1. set at a price that compares well with what other sellers charge, so that custom

1.adverbB2
Definition

set at a price that compares well with what other sellers charge, so that customers are likely to choose your product or service instead of a rival's.

Example

The hotel chain priced its rooms competitively to attract more travelers during the low season.

priced competitively — common collocation for business strategy

Élise found that the local bakery priced its pastries competitively compared to the supermarket chain.

Common collocations
  • priced competitively
  • competitively priced
  • competitively low rates
  • offer competitively
Synonyms
  • affordably

    focuses on being low in price rather than matching rivals

  • reasonably

    suggests the price is fair, not necessarily beating competitors

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

priced competitively

competitively [adjective]

Usage Note

Most commonly paired with the verb 'price' or the adjective 'priced'. The sense only applies to cost and value, not to a person's character or attitude. When you see 'competitively', check the word it modifies — if it is 'priced', 'offered', 'sold', or a cost-related adjective, this sense is the intended one.

Common Mistakes

The store acted competitively by lowering prices.
The store priced its goods competitively by lowering prices.
'Act competitively' belongs to sense 3 (personal attitude); for cost comparison, use 'price competitively' instead.

2. in a formal contest where people, groups, or businesses try to win or gain an ad

2.adverbB2
Definition

in a formal contest where people, groups, or businesses try to win or gain an advantage.

Example

The two construction firms bid competitively for the contract to build the new hospital wing.

bid competitively — describes a formal tendering process

Six schools from the region took part competitively in the science contest at city hall.

Common collocations
  • bid competitively
  • play competitively
  • run competitively
  • perform competitively
  • take part competitively
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[verb] competitively

compete/play/bid/perform competitively

Usage Note

This is the most neutral sense — it simply states that an activity is set up as a contest. It does not imply strong emotion, hostility, or a personal desire to win. Distinguish it from sense 3, which describes a person's inner drive; sense 3 would sound odd with formal processes such as 'bid' or 'award'.

Common Mistakes

She competed competitively in the tournament.
She competed in the tournament.
'Compete' already carries the idea of a contest; adding 'competitively' is redundant. Use 'competitively' with verbs that do not already imply competition, such as 'run', 'bid', 'perform', or 'play'.

3. showing a strong inner desire to outperform everyone else and come out ahead, in

3.adverbB2
Definition

showing a strong inner desire to outperform everyone else and come out ahead, in any activity — even when there is no official prize or score.

Example

Adina behaves competitively even during simple board games with her cousins at family gatherings.

behaves competitively — personal trait, not a formal contest

Defne, aged six, acts competitively when playing board games with her cousins because she seeks her parents' attention and approval.

Common collocations
  • act competitively
  • behave competitively
  • play competitively
  • work competitively
Synonyms
  • keenly

    suggests eagerness rather than a drive to beat others

  • ambitiously

    focuses on personal success goals rather than outperforming others

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[verb] competitively

act/behave/play competitively

Usage Note

Describes a person's inner drive, not the structure of the situation. Distinguish from sense 2, where the context names an official contest (a bid, a tournament, a race). Here the activity may be informal — a board game, a school exam, or a mountain climb — but the person treats it as a contest because of their own attitude.

Common Mistakes

She acts aggressively when playing cards with friends.
She acts competitively when playing cards with friends.
'Aggressively' suggests hostile intent; 'competitively' means she wants to win, not to harm opponents.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

These words all describe situations where people or groups try to outperform one another. 'Competitively' is the most general and neutral — it fits bidding, sports, arts, and academic contexts without adding emotion. 'In competition' is a phrase that functions the same way but often emphasises the formal structure ('the teams were in competition for the trophy'). 'Rivalrously' is much rarer and carries a stronger sense of personal opposition, often with a hint of tension. 'Contestably' is rarely used in everyday English; it appears mainly in academic writing about debate or elections. For most everyday situations, 'competitively' is the natural choice — it works equally well for a business bid ('firms bid competitively'), a school contest ('students performed competitively'), and a sports event ('athletes ran competitively').

competitively ↗in competitionrivalrouslycontestably

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • priced competitively
  • competitively priced

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The adverb 'competitively' is formed by adding the suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'competitive', which in turn comes from the Latin verb 'competere', meaning 'to strive together' (com- 'together' + petere 'to seek, to aim for'). In Roman times, 'competere' described people who were jointly seeking a goal or an office. The word later developed the sense of striving AGAINST one another. English adopted it through French 'compétitif' in the 19th century, and the adverb form has been in use since the late 1800s.