Contests — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /kən-ˈtest/ (verb) /ˈkän-ˌtest/ (noun) con·test

Meaning & Definition of Contests

Contests (verb)

  1. strive, vie
  2. to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation; especially, dispute, challenge

Contests (noun)

  1. a struggle for superiority or victory, competition
  2. a competition in which each contestant performs without direct contact with or interference from competitors
  3. a competition between girls or women at which judges select the most beautiful —called also beauty pageant
  4. a contest or competitive situation that is likened to a traditional beauty contest especially in involving judgments made on the basis of physical attractiveness or popular appeal
  5. a presidential primary election in which the popular vote does not determine the number of convention delegates a candidate receives
  6. nolo contendere

Contests (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil"

    similar: ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions, dogfights, duels, face-offs, grapples, matches, rivalries, strifes, struggles, sweepstakes, tugs-of-war, warfares, wars
    related: horse races, nail-biters, showdowns, clashes, collisions, discords, frictions, arguments, controversies, debates, disagreements, disputations, disputes, dissensions, quarrels, rows, wrangles
    near: concords, harmonies, peaces

  2. a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize

    "a contest for the gold medal in diving"

    similar: bouts, competitions, events, games, matches, matchups, meets, sweepstakes, tournaments, tourneys
    related: athletics, sports, battles, conflicts, scrimmages, skirmishes, struggles, tugs-of-war, tussles, championships, nationals, finals, nightcaps, play-offs, semifinals, derbies, field days, gymkhanas, outings, biathlons, decathlons, heptathlons, pentathlons, triathlons, marathons, races, ultramarathons, heats, rounds, runs, sets, rallies, volleys, round-robins, rubbers, runoffs, sudden deaths, dead heats, photo finishes, seesaws, classics

  3. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters"

    similar: battles, clashes, combats, conflicts, dustups, fights, fracases, frays, hassles, scraps, scrimmages, scrums, scuffles, skirmishes, struggles, tussles
    related: pitched battles, rough-and-tumbles, affrays (chiefly British), battles royal, brawls, broils, donnybrooks, free-for-alls, melees, mix-ups, ruckuses, ructions, blows, fistfights, fisticuffs, grapples, handgrips, punch-outs, punch-ups (chiefly British), slugfests, confrontations, duels, face-offs, jousts, altercations, argle-bargles (chiefly British), arguments, argy-bargies (chiefly British), contretemps, controversies, cross fires, disagreements, disputes, fallings-out, kickups, misunderstandings, quarrels, rows, spats, squabbles, tangles, tiffs, wrangles, catfights
    near: truces

Contests (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to demand proof of the truth or rightness of

    "vowed to contest the claim in court"

    similar: challenges, disputes, impeaches, oppugns, queries, questions, calls in question
    related: doubts, mistrusts, kicks (about), objects (to), protests, combats, fights, opposes, resists
    opposite: accepts, believes, embraces, swallows
    near: backs, defends, supports, advocates, champions, promotes, abides, endures, stomachs, tolerates

Related Entry: Contest (noun)

Contest is a different word from Contests. The synonyms below are for contest, not for contests.

  1. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another

    "the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil"

    similar: ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes, tug-of-war, war, warfare
    related: horse race, nail-biter, showdown, clash, collision, discord, friction, argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension, quarrel, row, wrangle
    near: concord, harmony, peace

  2. a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize

    "a contest for the gold medal in diving"

    similar: bout, competition, event, game, match, matchup, meet, sweepstakes, tournament, tourney
    related: athletics, sport, battle, conflict, scrimmage, skirmish, struggle, tug-of-war, tussle, championship, national(s), final, nightcap, play-off, semifinal, derby, field day, gymkhana, open, outing, biathlon, decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon, triathlon, marathon, race, ultramarathon, heat, round, run, set, rally, volley, round-robin, rubber, runoff, sudden death, dead heat, photo finish, seesaw, classic

  3. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters"

    similar: battle, clash, combat, conflict, dustup, fight, fracas, fray, hassle, scrap, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, skirmish, struggle, tussle
    related: pitched battle, rough-and-tumble, affray (chiefly British), battle royal, brawl, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee, mix-up, ruckus, ruction, blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, grapple, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up (chiefly British), slugfest, confrontation, duel, face-off, joust, altercation, argle-bargle (chiefly British), argument, argy-bargy (chiefly British), contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, falling-out, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tangle, tiff, wrangle, catfight
    near: truce

Related Entry: Contest (verb)

Contest is a different word from Contests. The synonyms below are for contest, not for contests.

  1. to demand proof of the truth or rightness of

    "vowed to contest the claim in court"

    similar: challenge, dispute, impeach, oppugn, query, question, call in question
    related: doubt, mistrust, kick (about), object (to), protest, combat, fight, oppose, resist
    opposite: accept, believe, embrace, swallow
    near: back, defend, support, advocate, champion, promote, abide, endure, stomach, tolerate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Contests

The most common words with a similar meaning to Contests:

ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions, dogfights, duels, face-offs, grapples, matches, rivalries, strifes, struggles, sweepstakes, tugs-of-war, warfares, wars, bouts, events, games, matchups, meets, tournaments, tourneys, clashes, dustups, fights, fracases, frays, hassles, scraps, scrimmages, scrums, scuffles, skirmishes, tussles, challenges, disputes

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Contests

Words with the opposite meaning of Contests:

accepts, believes, embraces, swallows

Related Words for Contests

horse races, nail-biters, showdowns, collisions, discords, frictions, arguments, controversies, debates, disagreements, disputations, dissensions, quarrels, rows, wrangles, athletics, sports, championships, nationals, finals, nightcaps, play-offs, semifinals, derbies, field days, gymkhanas, outings, biathlons, decathlons, heptathlons

Near Antonyms of Contests

concords, harmonies, peaces, truces, backs, defends, supports, advocates, champions, promotes, abides, endures, stomachs, tolerates

Word Forms of Contests

Inflections: contested, contesting

Derived words: contestable (adjective), contester (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Contests

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French contester "to debate, make the subject of dispute," earlier "to refuse to recognize a right or claim," probably borrowed from Old Occitan contestar, borrowed from Latin contestārī "to call to witness," in the phrase lītem contestārī (with līt-, līs "dispute at law") "to join issue in a legal suit," from con- con- + -testārī, verbal derivative of testis "witness" testament

First known use: 1603i

Frequently Asked Questions about Contests

What does "Contests" mean?

"Contests" means strive, vie. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: strive, vie. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Contests"?

Other words for "Contests" include ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions and dogfights. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Contests" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Contests"?

There are 134 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Contests". Common alternatives include ball games, battles, combats, competitions, conflicts, confrontations, contentions, dogfights, duels and face-offs.

What is the opposite of "Contests"?

Antonyms of "Contests" include accepts, believes, embraces and swallows. Near antonyms include concords, harmonies, peaces and truces.

How do you use "Contests" in a sentence?

Examples of "Contests" in a sentence: "the eternal contest between the forces of good and the forces of evil"; "a contest for the gold medal in diving"; "what mighty contests have been waged on trivial matters".

Is "Contests" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Contests" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Contests"?

"Contests" is pronounced /kən-ˈtest/ as a verb and /ˈkän-ˌtest/ as a noun and divided into syllables as con·test.

What is the origin of the word "Contests"?

"Contests" comes from borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French contester "to debate, make the subject of dispute," earlier "to refuse to recognize a right or claim," probably borrowed from Old Occitan contestar, borrowed from Latin contestārī "to call to witness," in the phrase lītem contestārī (with līt-, līs "dispute at law") "to join issue in a legal suit," from con- con- + -testārī, verbal derivative of testis "witness" testament. First known use: 1603i.