How to Use compete in a Sentence

compete

verb
  • Thousands of applicants are competing for the same job.
  • She competed against students from around the country.
  • We are competing with companies that are twice our size.
  • Did you compete in the track meet on Saturday?
  • The radio and the television were both on, competing for our attention.
  • Nah, man, this is about who can compete and who can’t.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The two of them have competed for their dad’s love.
    — Sam Reed, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Smaller chains can’t compete well in the price wars.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Getting ready to come in and compete.
    — Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 16 May 2026
  • Louisville track and field is among the teams scheduled to compete.
    — Brooks Warren, The Courier-Journal, 14 Jan. 2024
  • Ten films will compete in that section.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Teams no longer compete in eight groups of four during the group stages.
    — Ben Church, CNN, 2 Oct. 2024
  • To compete against him & to work with him was a blessing in my life.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2024
  • Above all, she no longer feels driven to compete with her in-laws.
    — Gail Jennes, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
  • That guy competes like a warrior.
    — Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal, Arkansas Online, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Just competing with him a lot has just propelled me as well as him.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
  • There should be a bottom age limit to compete here.
    — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 29 May 2026
  • But none of this has dampened the their desires to train and compete.
    — Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Area chefs will compete for the title of best burger.
    — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Area chefs will compete for the title of best burger.
    — Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Ecker, who has been competing in pageants since the age of nine.
    — Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Weaker as a blocker on the move, but competes with a mean streak.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The Huskies have a good chance to compete in every game from here on out.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2022
  • Only the fastest reindeer get to compete in this race.
    — ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Maybe, this loss can lead to changes that are necessary to compete.
    — Mike Kaye september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Great for when friends come over or for siblings who love to compete, anywhere.
    — Amy Joyce, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
  • When the brief is too open, retrieval policies compete.
    — Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
  • These days, one soda might not be enough to compete with the flat screens and full kitchens fans bring out.
    — Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The Nets’ bench at least competed.
    — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • For weeks, for months, for over a year How could your freedom compete with our fear?
    — Pat Myers, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compete.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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