competitive

adjective

com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpe-tə-tiv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
1
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
a competitive marketplace
2
: inclined, desiring, or suited to compete
a competitive personality
competitive interest rates
3
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitively adverb
competitiveness noun

Examples of competitive in a Sentence

She is a very competitive player. You need a degree to be competitive in today's job market.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
West Virginia remained competitive early in the second quarter as the Mountaineers cut TCU’s lead to 22-17 with just over six minutes remaining before halftime. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2025 Organizations that embrace these advancements can gain a competitive edge, enhance operational excellence and drive long-term success. Sanjoy Sarkar, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 Then came a five-game losing streak to close the season that included competitive defeats to Playoff teams Penn State and Oregon along with three embarrassing losses to former West foes. Jesse Temple, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025 In a competitive year, the ASC nominated seven cinematographers in the feature film category. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for competitive

Word History

Etymology

see competition

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of competitive was in 1829

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Cite this Entry

“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

competitive

adjective
com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: relating to, characterized by, or based on competition
competitive sports
competitive bidding
competitively adverb
competitiveness noun

Medical Definition

competitive

adjective
com·​pet·​i·​tive kəm-ˈpet-ət-iv How to pronounce competitive (audio)
: depending for effectiveness on the relative concentration of two or more substances
competitive inhibition of an enzyme
competitive protein binding
competitively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on competitive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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