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.

Competition vs. Contest — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Competition and Contest

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.

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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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman

Tayyaba 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.