Competed

Competed is the past tense and past participle of the verb compete. It is used to describe participating in a contest or struggle against others to achieve a prize, advantage, or recognition. The term is commonly employed in sports, business, politics, and academic settings to indicate that parties or individuals took part in rivalry or comparison.

Etymology: The word derives from the Latin competere, meaning to strive together, from com- (together) and petere (to seek). Through Old French and Middle English, the form evolved into the modern English compete and its past tense competed.

Usage notes: Compete is typically intransitive, with phrases such as compete against someone, compete with a rival, or compete for a prize. For example, "The two teams competed in the final" or "The company competed for the contract." In some contexts, "competed" can appear in reports on events in the past, describing established rivalries or outcomes.

Related terms and concepts: competition (the act or state of competing), competitor (one who competes), competitive (relating to competition), contend, vie. These terms are often used in discussions of sports, business strategy, elections, and academic rankings, where multiple actors strive to achieve a favorable result.