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.
Fine's race against Democratic candidate Josh Weil, a public school teacher, was considered more competitive than the special election in Florida's 1st Congressional District, although both are longtime Republican strongholds. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025 His competitive spirit no question fits our personality. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025 And while the race in the 1st District was not forecast to be competitive, the initial vote count showed it closer than expected. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2025 In Congress, Randy will be… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2025 The unexpected competitive nature of the race has already influenced Trump’s Cabinet decisions. Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/competitive. Accessed 4 Apr. 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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