Contest vs. Challenge — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 16, 2024
A contest is a competitive event where participants strive to win, while a challenge is a test of skill or ability that can be competitive or personal.
Difference Between Contest and Challenge
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A contest is a structured competition with defined rules and objectives where participants compete to win a prize or recognition. Examples include beauty contests, writing contests, and sports contests. A challenge, on the other hand, is a task or situation that tests someone's abilities, skills, or endurance. Challenges can be competitive, such as a cooking challenge on a TV show, or personal, like a fitness challenge where individuals set goals to improve their health.
Contests often have a clear winner based on performance, judged criteria, or audience votes, and they usually include multiple participants striving for the top position. Challenges may have goals or milestones to achieve, but success can be personal and subjective, focusing on overcoming difficulties or improving oneself.
A contest emphasizes competition with others and winning, while a challenge focuses on testing and pushing abilities, either against others or oneself.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Structured competition with rules and objectives
Test of skill, ability, or endurance
Nature
Competitive, with winners and prizes
Can be competitive or personal
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Examples
Beauty contest, writing contest, sports contest
Fitness challenge, cooking challenge
Participants
Compete directly against each other
Can be against others or self-imposed
Judging Criteria
Based on performance, criteria, or votes
Based on achieving goals or overcoming tasks
Compare with Definitions
Contest
Participants strive to win.
She entered the singing contest to showcase her talent.
Challenge
A task that tests skills or abilities.
The marathon was a significant challenge for all the runners.
Contest
A competitive event with rules and objectives.
The art contest had dozens of participants vying for the top prize.
Challenge
May not have a clear winner, success is subjective.
Completing the hiking challenge gave him a great sense of accomplishment.
Contest
Involves direct competition between participants.
The chess contest was intense, with players competing head-to-head.
Challenge
Can be self-imposed or organized.
The cooking challenge on the TV show pitted chefs against each other to create unique dishes.
Contest
Often judged by criteria or audience votes.
The writing contest winner was selected by a panel of judges.
Challenge
A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength
He accepted the challenge
Contest
Usually offers prizes or recognition to winners.
The science fair contest awarded scholarships to the top projects.
Challenge
A call to prove or justify something
A challenge to the legality of the banning order
Contest
An event in which people compete for supremacy in a sport or other activity, or in a quality
A tennis contest
Challenge
Exposure of the immune system to pathogenic organisms or antigens
Recently vaccinated calves should be protected from challenge
Contest
Engage in competition to attain (a position of power)
She declared her intention to contest the presidency
Challenge
Dispute the truth or validity of
It is possible to challenge the report's assumptions
Contest
Oppose (an action or theory) as mistaken or wrong
The former chairman contests his dismissal
Challenge
Invite (someone) to engage in a contest
He challenged one of my men to a duel
Organizations challenged the government in by-elections
Contest
A struggle for superiority or victory between rivals
England's contest with Spain for domination of the seas.
Challenge
Expose (the immune system) to pathogenic organisms or antigens.
Contest
A competition, especially one in which entrants perform separately and are rated by judges
A spelling contest.
Challenge
A call to engage in a contest, fight, or competition
A challenge to a duel.
Contest
To compete or strive for; struggle to gain or control
Trade routes that were contested by competing cultures.
Challenge
An act or statement of defiance; a call to confrontation
A challenge to the government's authority.
Contest
To call into question and take an active stand against; dispute or challenge
Contest a will.
Challenge
A demand for explanation or justification; a calling into question
A challenge to a theory.
Contest
(Sports) To defend against (a shot), as in basketball.
Challenge
A sentry's call to an unknown party for proper identification.
Contest
To struggle or compete; contend
Contested with other bidders for the antique.
Challenge
A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking
A career that offers a challenge.
Contest
(uncountable) Controversy; debate.
No contest
Challenge
A claim that a vote is invalid or that a voter is unqualified.
Contest
(uncountable) Struggle for superiority; combat.
Challenge
A formal objection to the inclusion of a prospective juror in a jury.
Contest
(countable) A competition.
The child entered the spelling contest.
Challenge
A legal case testing the validity of an action taken, particularly by the government.
Contest
(intransitive) To contend.
I will contest for the open seat on the board.
Challenge
(Immunology) The induction or evaluation of an immune response in an organism by administration of a specific antigen to which it has been sensitized.
Contest
(transitive) To call into question; to oppose.
The rival contested the dictator's re-election because of claims of voting irregularities.
Challenge
To call to engage in a contest, fight, or competition
Challenged me to a game of chess.
Contest
(transitive) To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.
The troops contested every inch of ground.
Challenge
To invite with defiance; dare
Challenged him to contradict her.
Contest
(law) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist, as a claim, by course of law.
Challenge
To confront or struggle with (something) as a test of one's abilities
Rafters challenging the rapids.
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.
Challenge
To take exception to; call into question; dispute
A book that challenges established beliefs.
Contest
To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend; as, the troops contested every inch of ground.
Challenge
To order to halt and be identified, as by a sentry.
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.
Challenge
To take formal objection to (a prospective juror).
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?
Challenge
To bring a legal case testing the validity of an action, particularly by the government.
Contest
Earnest dispute; strife in argument; controversy; debate; altercation.
Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamors and brawling language.
Challenge
To question the qualifications of (a voter) or the validity of (a vote).
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.
Challenge
To have due claim to; call for
Events that challenge our attention.
Contest
An occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
Challenge
To summon to action, effort, or use; stimulate
A problem that challenges the imagination.
Contest
A struggle between rivals
Challenge
(Immunology) To induce or evaluate an immune response in (an organism) by administering a specific antigen to which it has been sensitized.
Contest
To make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation;
They contested the outcome of the race
Challenge
To make or give voice to a challenge.
Challenge
To begin barking upon picking up the scent. Used of hunting dogs.
Challenge
A confrontation; a dare.
Challenge
An antagonization or instigation intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
Challenge
A bid to overcome something.
A challenge to the king's authority
Challenge
(sports) An attempt to take possession; a tackle.
Challenge
A summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
Challenge
The act of a sentry in halting a person and demanding the countersign, or (by extension) the action of a computer system demanding a password, etc.
Challenge
An attempt to have a work of literature restricted or removed from a public library or school curriculum.
Challenge
A difficult task, especially one that the person making the attempt finds more enjoyable because of that difficulty.
Challenge
(legal) A procedure or action.
Challenge
A judge's interest in the result of a case, constituting grounds for them to not be allowed to sit the case (e.g., a conflict of interest).
Consanguinity in direct line is a challenge for a judge when he or she is sitting cases.
Challenge
The act of appealing a ruling or decision of a court of administrative agency.
Challenge
The act of seeking to remove a judge, arbitrator, or other judicial or semi-judicial figure for reasons of alleged bias or incapacity.
We're still waiting to hear how the court rules on our challenge of the arbitrator based on conflict of interest.
Challenge
(US) An act of seeking to have a certain person be declared not legally qualified to vote, made when the person offers their ballot.
Challenge
(hunting) The opening and crying of hounds upon first finding the scent of their game.
Challenge
(transitive) To invite (someone) to take part in a competition.
We challenged the boys next door to a game of football.
Challenge
(transitive) To dare (someone).
Challenge
(transitive) To dispute (something).
To challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation
Challenge
To call something into question or dispute.
New information challenged old hypotheses.
Challenge
To make a formal objection to a juror.
Challenge
(transitive) To be difficult or challenging for.
Challenge
To claim as due; to demand as a right.
Challenge
To censure; to blame.
Challenge
To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines).
The sentinel challenged us with "Who goes there?"
Challenge
To object to the reception of the vote of, e.g. on the ground that the person is not qualified as a voter.
Challenge
To take (a final exam) in order to get credit for a course without taking it.
Challenge
An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
A challenge to controversy.
Challenge
The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.
Challenge
A claim or demand.
There must be no challenge of superiority.
Challenge
The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.
Challenge
An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause.
Challenge
An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.
Challenge
To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.
I challenge any man to make any pretense to power by right of fatherhood.
Challenge
To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat.
By this I challenge him to single fight.
Challenge
To claim as due; to demand as a right.
Challenge better terms.
Challenge
To censure; to blame.
He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from them.
Challenge
To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with "Who comes there?"
Challenge
To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.
Challenge
To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court.
Challenge
To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter.
Challenge
To assert a right; to claim a place.
Where nature doth with merit challenge.
Challenge
A demanding or stimulating situation;
They reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power
Challenge
A call to engage in a contest or fight
Challenge
Questioning a statement and demanding an explanation;
His challenge of the assumption that Japan is still our enemy
Challenge
A formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror
Challenge
A demand by a sentry for a password or identification
Challenge
Take exception to;
She challenged his claims
Challenge
Issue a challenge to;
Fischer challenged Spassky to a match
Challenge
Ask for identification;
The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard
Challenge
Raise a formal objection in a court of law
Challenge
Can be competitive or personal.
She took on the 30-day fitness challenge to improve her health.
Challenge
Focuses on achieving goals or overcoming difficulties.
The coding challenge required solving complex problems within a time limit.
Common Curiosities
What is a contest?
A contest is a structured competition where participants compete to win prizes or recognition based on defined rules.
How is a contest different from a challenge?
A contest involves direct competition with others and focuses on winning, while a challenge tests skills or abilities and can be competitive or personal.
Can a contest be personal?
Contests are generally structured and competitive events, not typically personal.
What is a challenge?
A challenge is a task or situation that tests someone's abilities, skills, or endurance, which can be either competitive or personal.
What are examples of challenges?
Examples include fitness challenges, coding challenges, cooking challenges, and personal development challenges.
Do challenges always have winners?
Challenges may not always have clear winners; success can be subjective and based on personal achievement.
Can a challenge be competitive?
Yes, challenges can be competitive, such as a cooking challenge or sports challenge, where participants compete against each other.
Can a contest be part of a challenge?
Yes, a contest can be part of a larger challenge, such as a competition within a fitness challenge.
Are contests always competitive?
Yes, contests are inherently competitive, with participants striving to outperform others.
What are examples of contests?
Examples include beauty contests, writing contests, sports contests, and talent contests.
Do contests always have prizes?
Most contests offer prizes or recognition to winners, but some may have other forms of rewards.
How are challenges completed?
Challenges are completed by achieving specific goals, overcoming tasks, or pushing personal limits.
Can a challenge be part of a contest?
Yes, a challenge can be an event within a contest, like a specific task contestants must complete.
How are contest winners determined?
Contest winners are usually determined by performance, judging criteria, or audience votes.
Are challenges always difficult?
Challenges are typically designed to test abilities, so they often involve some level of difficulty or effort.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited 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.
