race

race — noun

1. an event in which people, animals, or vehicles compete to see who can move from

1.nounA2
Definition

an event in which people, animals, or vehicles compete to see who can move from one point to another the fastest, or who finishes first.

Example

Paloma won the 100-metre race at the school sports day.

race + distance adjective (100-metre race)

The two cyclists were neck and neck for most of the race.

collocation: neck and neck (very close)

Common collocations
  • win a race
  • lose a race
  • enter a race
  • run a race
  • bike race
  • car race
  • relay race
Synonyms
  • contest

    broader — any competition, not necessarily about speed

  • sprint

    a short, fast race, usually on foot over a short distance

Common Mistakes

I joined a race competition.
I took part in a race.
'race' already means a competition; 'race competition' is redundant.

2. a situation in which a person or group tries hard to achieve something before ot

2.nounB2
Definition

a situation in which a person or group tries hard to achieve something before others do, such as winning a leadership position, securing a deal, or reaching a goal first.

Example

Three candidates are in the race to become the next party leader.

collocation: in the race to [do something]

The technology race between the two companies pushed prices down quickly.

Common collocations
  • arms race
  • space race
  • race against time
  • race to the finish
  • race for power
  • lead in the race
Synonyms
  • competition

    more general; a race feels more urgent and time-bound

  • contest

    suggests a formal event with rules; a race may be informal

Usage Note

Commonly used with 'against' (a race against time/the clock) or 'to' (a race to do something). Often modified by a domain noun: arms race, space race, technology race.

3. a planned afternoon or day at a racecourse where several horse races or greyhoun

3.nounB1
Definition

a planned afternoon or day at a racecourse where several horse races or greyhound races are held one after another, often with betting.

Example

The Watanabe family spent Saturday afternoon at the races.

usually plural: the races

A large crowd gathered at the racecourse for the final race of the day.

Common collocations
  • go to the races
  • race meeting
  • race day
  • at the races
Synonyms
  • meeting

    formal term for a scheduled set of horse races

  • race meeting

    more explicit than just 'meeting'

Usage Note

In British English, 'going to the races' means attending a horse-racing meeting. Less common in American English, where 'the track' is more typical.

4. one of the broad groups that humans are divided into based on shared physical fe

4.nounB1
Definition

one of the broad groups that humans are divided into based on shared physical features such as skin colour, hair type, or facial shape, which people often treat as significant in society.

Example

The school welcomes students from every race and background.

collocation: every race and background

Laws against discrimination protect people regardless of their race or religion.

collocation: regardless of race

Common collocations
  • race and ethnicity
  • regardless of race
  • on grounds of race
  • mixed race
  • race relations
Synonyms
  • ethnicity

    overlaps but focuses more on shared culture, language, and ancestry than physical traits

  • ethnic group

    more precise and less loaded term in modern usage

Usage Note

Often discussed alongside 'ethnicity' (which refers more to shared culture, language, and ancestry) and 'equality'. Increasingly viewed by scholars as a social construct rather than a biological fact.

Common Mistakes

The human race needs to act on climate change.
Humans need to act on climate change.
'the human race' means all people; it's different from the social sense of 'race' as an ethnic group.

5. the notion that physical traits such as skin colour or hair type can separate hu

5.nounB2
Definition

the notion that physical traits such as skin colour or hair type can separate humans into distinct categories — a concept studied in sociology and often tied to issues of prejudice and inequality.

Example

The sociology course examines how race has been constructed differently across societies.

collocation: race as a social construction

The professor argued that race is not a biological reality but a social category.

Common collocations
  • race as a social construct
  • race and class
  • race and gender
  • the concept of race
  • race and inequality

Usage Note

This abstract sense — 'race' as a concept or system — is used mainly in academic, political, and activist contexts. It is uncountable: 'Race is a factor in hiring decisions', not 'a race is a factor'.

6. a community whose members have in common a particular language, set of customs,

6.nounB2
Definition

a community whose members have in common a particular language, set of customs, historical background, or line of descent.

Example

The island is home to several distinct races that have lived there for centuries.

Aylin's research focuses on the traditions of the Kurdish race across the region.

collocation: the [name] race

Common collocations
  • the human race
  • the [name] race
  • races and nations
Synonyms
  • ethnic group

    more common in modern usage; less ambiguous

  • people

    as in 'the Kurdish people'; broader and less specific

Usage Note

This older sense overlaps with 'ethnic group' or 'people'. In modern English, 'ethnicity' or 'ethnic group' is more common; 'race' in this sense can sound dated or poetic.

Idioms

have a dog in the fight

idiom

To be personally involved in a situation and affected by its outcome.

Min doesn't have a dog in this fight, so she stays neutral.

Do you have a dog in the fight, or can you give an unbiased opinion?

a one, two, three, etc. horse race

idiom

A competition where only a few participants have a real chance to win.

The election became a two-horse race between Sara and Diego.

Is the championship a one-horse race or will others challenge?

a race against time/the clock

idiom

A situation where you must finish something very quickly before a deadline.

The rescue team faced a race against time to save the miners.

Finishing the project by Friday was a race against the clock.

race to the bottom

idiom

A competition where companies or countries reduce costs by lowering wages and standards.

The global race to the bottom harms workers' rights and safety.

Small businesses cannot survive the race to the bottom in pricing.

race — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe situations where people or groups try to outdo one another, but they differ in scope and emphasis. 'Race' is the narrowest — it specifically implies speed and a clear finish line, whether literal (a running race) or metaphorical (an election race). 'Competition' is the broadest, covering any situation where people strive for a prize, position, or advantage; it does not require speed. 'Contest' falls in between — it suggests a formal event with rules and judges, like a spelling contest or cooking contest, and may or may not involve speed. 'Sprint' is a type of race focused on a short, intense burst of speed. For example: 'The 100-metre race ended in a photo finish' (race); 'The cooking competition lasted all weekend' (competition); 'She won first place in the poetry contest' (contest); 'He beat his personal record in the fifty-metre sprint' (sprint).

race ↗contest ↗competition ↗sprint ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseEnglish

The word 'race' in English comes from two separate historical roots that later merged in spelling. The competition-and-speed meaning (noun senses 1–3, verb senses 1–2) comes from Old Norse 'rās', meaning a running or rush, which entered English through Viking contact. The people-group meaning (noun senses 4–6) comes from Italian 'razza', meaning kind or species, which entered English through French in the 1500s. By the 1600s both meanings were in use, and over time the same spelling covered them both — though they remain distinct words with separate origins.