Competition vs. Contest — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 16, 2023
Competition is a general rivalry between participants, often ongoing, while a Contest is a specific event or challenge with set rules and participants.
Difference Between Competition and Contest
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Key Differences
Competition and Contest both revolve around rivalry, but their scopes differ. Competition typically suggests an ongoing process or state, where entities strive against each other for superiority or a goal. In contrast, a Contest usually denotes a particular event or challenge with established parameters.
In the business world, Competition refers to companies vying for market dominance, whereas a Contest might be a one-time promotional event organized by a firm. The Competition persists as long as the market exists, but the Contest has a definitive start and end.
Sports offer another perspective. A soccer league embodies Competition as teams face off throughout the season. A single match or a penalty shootout, however, can be viewed as a Contest - it's a specific event with a clear outcome.
A Competition can encompass multiple Contests. For instance, the Olympics is a grand Competition featuring numerous individual Contests (events). While each event has its own winner, nations might compete overall for the highest medal count.
Fundamentally, while both words highlight rivalry, Competition leans more towards a prolonged or recurrent struggle, and Contest zeroes in on a specific challenge or event.
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Comparison Chart
Nature
Ongoing rivalry
Specific event or challenge
Duration
Typically longer, often recurrent
Definitive start and end
Scope
Broader
Narrower
Examples
Market rivalry, sports leagues
Promotional events, individual sports matches
Outcome
Can be ongoing without a clear winner
Usually has a clear winner
Compare with Definitions
Competition
A rivalry for supremacy or resources.
The tech industry is known for fierce Competition.
Contest
A competition with set rules to determine a winner.
She entered the singing Contest and won first place.
Competition
An event or condition of competing.
The business landscape is a tough Competition.
Contest
A struggle for victory or superiority.
The election was a close Contest between two candidates.
Competition
A test of skill or ability among rivals.
The annual sales Competition motivated the team.
Contest
An organized event of skill or luck.
The lottery is a popular Contest of luck.
Competition
An ongoing challenge among participants.
The Competition for the top spot was intense.
Contest
An event in which people try to win a prize.
The radio station is hosting a trivia Contest.
Competition
Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, individuals, economic and social groups, etc.
Contest
An event in which people compete for supremacy in a sport or other activity, or in a quality
A tennis contest
Competition
The act of competing, as for profit or a prize; rivalry.
Contest
Engage in competition to attain (a position of power)
She declared her intention to contest the presidency
Competition
A test of skill or ability; a contest
A skating competition.
Contest
Oppose (an action or theory) as mistaken or wrong
The former chairman contests his dismissal
Competition
Rivalry between two or more businesses striving for the same customer or market.
Contest
A struggle for superiority or victory between rivals
England's contest with Spain for domination of the seas.
Competition
A competitor
The competition has cornered the market.
Contest
A competition, especially one in which entrants perform separately and are rated by judges
A spelling contest.
Competition
(Ecology) The simultaneous demand by two or more organisms for a limited environmental resource, such as nutrients, living space, or light.
Contest
To compete or strive for; struggle to gain or control
Trade routes that were contested by competing cultures.
Competition
(uncountable) The action of competing.
The competition for this job is strong.
Contest
To call into question and take an active stand against; dispute or challenge
Contest a will.
Competition
(countable) A contest for a prize or award.
The newspaper is featuring a competition to win a car.
Contest
(Sports) To defend against (a shot), as in basketball.
Competition
The competitors in such a contest.
The new stain remover was ten times more effective than the competition.
Contest
To struggle or compete; contend
Contested with other bidders for the antique.
Competition
The act of seeking, or endeavoring to gain, what another is endeavoring to gain at the same time; common strife for the same objects; strife for superiority; emulous contest; rivalry, as for approbation, for a prize, or as where two or more persons are engaged in the same business and each seeking patronage; - followed by for before the object sought, and with before the person or thing competed with.
Competition to the crown there is none, nor can be.
A portrait, with which one of Titian's could not come in competition.
There is no competition but for the second place.
Where competition does not act at all there is complete monopoly.
Contest
(uncountable) Controversy; debate.
No contest
Competition
A business relation in which two parties compete to gain customers;
Business competition can be fiendish at times
Contest
(uncountable) Struggle for superiority; combat.
Competition
An occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
Contest
(countable) A competition.
The child entered the spelling contest.
Competition
The act of competing as for profit or a prize;
The teams were in fierce contention for first place
Contest
(intransitive) To contend.
I will contest for the open seat on the board.
Competition
The contestant you hope to defeat;
He had respect for his rivals
He wanted to know what the competition was doing
Contest
(transitive) To call into question; to oppose.
The rival contested the dictator's re-election because of claims of voting irregularities.
Competition
The act of competing against others.
She thrived in the Competition and came out on top.
Contest
(transitive) To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.
The troops contested every inch of ground.
Contest
(law) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist, as a claim, by course of law.
Contest
To make a subject of dispute, contention, litigation, or emulation; to contend for; to call in question; to controvert; to oppose; to dispute.
The people . . . contested not what was done.
Few philosophical aphorisms have been more frequenty repeated, few more contested than this.
Contest
To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend; as, the troops contested every inch of ground.
Contest
To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist; as a claim, by course of law; to controvert.
Contest
To engage in contention, or emulation; to contend; to strive; to vie; to emulate; - followed usually by with.
The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory.
Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest?
Contest
Earnest dispute; strife in argument; controversy; debate; altercation.
Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamors and brawling language.
Contest
Earnest struggle for superiority, victory, defense, etc.; competition; emulation; strife in arms; conflict; combat; encounter.
The late battle had, in effect, been a contest between one usurper and another.
It was fully expected that the contest there would be long and fierce.
Contest
An occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
Contest
A struggle between rivals
Contest
To make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation;
They contested the outcome of the race
Contest
A challenge to validity or right.
The will was in Contest due to discrepancies.
Common Curiosities
How does Competition differ from a Contest in duration?
Competition typically suggests an ongoing rivalry, while a Contest has a clear beginning and end.
Are all business rivalries Competitions?
Generally, business rivalries can be seen as Competitions for market share.
Is every Contest a Competition?
Essentially, yes, since a Contest involves participants vying for a win.
Can you participate in a Competition without entering a Contest?
It's possible, especially if the Competition is broad, like market rivalry, without specific events.
Which is broader in scope, Competition or Contest?
Competition generally has a broader scope, while Contest is more specific.
Can a Contest be part of a larger Competition?
Yes, for example, individual sports matches (contests) within a league (competition).
Is a lottery a Contest or Competition?
It's more of a Contest, as it's a specific event with participants hoping to win.
Can a Competition be friendly?
Yes, Competition can be friendly, such as in friendly sports matches or amicable business rivalries.
Can a Contest result in no winners?
It's possible, depending on the rules set for that Contest.
Do both Competition and Contest require multiple participants?
Typically, both involve multiple participants, but there are exceptions, like challenging oneself against a set standard.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
