concurrencer

Concurrencer is a French verb meaning to compete or to rival. It denotes the act of one actor trying to outperform others in a market, contest, or broader endeavour. The verb is typically transitive and can take a direct object (concurrencer qqn/qqch) or be used with a prepositional phrase to indicate the arena of competition, such as sur le marché or dans un secteur.

Etymology and usage notes: Concurrencer derives from Latin concurrere, “to run together,” conveying the sense of multiple actors moving toward the same goal or resource. It is related to the noun la concurrence (competition, rivalry) and to the adjective concurrent (competing). In French, concurrencer is often contrasted with concourir, which emphasizes participation in a contest rather than rivalry on an ongoing basis. The latter is more common for prizes or formal contests, while concurrencer is broader and more market- or rivalry-oriented.

Common contexts and nuance: In business, to concurrencer a firm means to compete with it in the market, influencing prices, innovation, or market share. In sports or politics, it similarly signals rivalry among competitors. An entity that competes is un concurrent; adjectives describe things that are in competition, as in entreprises concurrentes.

Examples: Plusieurs sociétés concurrencent Apple sur le marché des smartphones. Dans le secteur automobile, les constructeurs se concurrencent par l’innovation et les prix. Pour un poste, plusieurs candidats concourent, et non pas concourent.

See also: concurrence; concurrent; concourir.