compete

Compete is a verb meaning to strive to win or achieve something by defeating others, or to take part in a contest or challenge. It is used for individuals or groups who challenge each other in sports, academics, business, or other domains.

It is used transitively and intransitively. Common constructions include compete for something (to obtain); compete in an event (to participate in a competition); compete with or compete against someone (to be in contest with them). In business, companies compete for market share; in sports, teams compete in leagues; in academics, researchers may compete for funding or recognition.

The word comes from Middle English competen, from Old French competre or from Latin competere meaning “to strive together.” The prefix com- means together and petere means “to seek.” The sense of contending or vying has been part of the word since its earliest uses in Latin and its descendants in the Romance and Germanic languages.

In common usage, compete is paired with various prepositions to express different relations—for, in, with, or against. There is a related noun, competition, and an adjective, competitive, which describe related attitudes or situations. Competition can motivate improvement and innovation but may also lead to stress, conflict, or harm if it becomes excessive or abusive.

Related terms include competitor, competition, and competitive.