contest

contest — noun

1. An organized event in which people or groups try to show they are better than ot

1.nounB1
Definition

An organized event in which people or groups try to show they are better than others, often to win a prize or a reward.

Example

The school held a baking contest that Priya won with her chocolate cake.

collocation: hold a contest / win a contest

More than fifty teams entered the annual robot-building contest in Taipei.

collocation: enter a contest

Common collocations
  • hold a contest
  • enter a contest
  • win a contest
  • close contest
  • singing contest
  • photography contest
Synonyms
  • competition

    the broadest term — any situation where people try to outperform each other, whether organized or not

  • tournament

    a series of games or rounds, often in sports, with elimination rules

  • match

    a single game between two sides, especially in sports

2. A struggle to win a position of leadership or power, especially through a politi

2.nounB2
Definition

A struggle to win a position of leadership or power, especially through a political election, often against strong opposition.

Example

The mayoral contest between Leila and Mr. Kim grew more heated each week.

collocation: mayoral contest

Both parties spent millions of dollars on the Senate contest in Ohio.

Common collocations
  • mayoral contest
  • Senate contest
  • close contest
  • contest for [position]
  • heated contest
Synonyms
  • campaign

    focuses on the organized activities and process of trying to get elected, not just the competitive aspect

  • race

    more informal term for an election contest, especially in American English

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in political contexts. It often carries a modifier specifying the role being sought (mayoral, Senate, presidential contest).

Idioms

be no contest

idiom

Used to say that one side in a competition is much stronger and will definitely win easily.

The chess match was no contest; Mia won in ten moves.

In the 100-meter dash, it was no contest between Sara and the others.

contest — verb

Word family

  • contestant
    nounB1
  • contested
    adjectiveB2
  • uncontested
    adjectiveC1
  • contestable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe events where people try to outperform each other, but they differ in structure and scope. Competition is the broadest term — it can be anything from a school spelling bee to a corporate sales challenge, and it does not require formal rules or elimination rounds. Contest usually implies a judged event with specific rules and an aim to win a prize. Tournament refers to a structured series of games or matches with elimination rounds, common in chess, tennis, or video gaming. Match is the narrowest — it describes a single game between two sides, especially in sports like football or boxing. A runner might say 'I won the race' but not 'I won the match'; a boxer says 'I won the match'.

competition ↗tournament ↗match ↗race ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • no contest
  • a two-way contest
  • open contest

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Contest entered English through French from Latin 'contestari', meaning 'to call to witness' or 'to bring a legal action'. It was formed by combining 'com-' (together) and 'testari' (to bear witness), from 'testis' (witness). The original idea was calling witnesses for a legal dispute. Over time the meaning broadened from a legal challenge to any kind of conflict or struggle, and later to organized competitions where people compete openly.