Contest

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈkÉ’n.tÉ›st/
• US enPR: kŏn'tÄ•st, IPA: /ˈkÉ‘n.tÉ›st/
• Rhymes: -É’ntÉ›st

• UK enPR: kÉ™ntÄ•st', IPA: /kÉ™nˈtÉ›st/
• Rhymes: -É›st

Origin

From French contester, from Old French, from Latin contestor ("to call to witness")

Full definition of contest

Noun

1. (uncountable) Controversy; debate.no contest
2. (uncountable) Struggle for superiority; combat.
3. (countable) A competition.The child entered the spelling contest.

Synonyms

• (controversy) controversy, debate, discussion
• (combat) battle, combat, fight
• (competition) competition, pageant

Derived terms

Verb

1. (intransitive) To contend.I will contest for the open seat on the board.
• Alexander PopeOf man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest?
• Bishop BurnetThe difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory.
2. (transitive) To call into question; to oppose.The rival contested the dictator's re-election because of claims of voting irregularities.
• J. D. MorellFew philosophical aphorisms have been more frequently repeated, few more contested than this.
3. (transitive) To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.The troops contested every inch of ground.
4. (legal) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist, as a claim, by course of law; to controvert.

Synonyms

• (contend) compete, contend, go in for
• (oppose) call into question, oppose

Antonyms

• (oppose) support