con·test
kən-ˈtest 
ˈkän-ˌtest
ˈkän-ˌtest
contested; contesting; contests
: to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation
contester
noun
con·test
ˈkän-ˌtest
1
: a struggle for superiority or victory : competition
a football contest between rival teams
2
: a competition in which each contestant performs without direct contact with or interference from competitors
He won the contest for best photograph.
Synonyms
Examples of contest in a Sentence
Verb
She plans to contest a seat in Congress next year.
Both candidates have agreed to another debate before this hotly contested election.
Noun
Contest winners receive a cash prize.
Will you enter the contest?
She hopes to win the contest for mayor.
Democrats and Republicans are engaged in a contest for control of the House of Representatives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024
The game was contested Saturday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2024
In 2019, more than 8,000 candidates contested the election.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The role that ideology may have played in Bernstein’s death will be sharply contested at his trial, with opening statements expected to begin Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
March 24, 2023 Upper-level competition in this year’s Crew Classic has also been adversely impacted; the U.S. Olympic Rowing Trials are being contested this weekend.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
But both can expect more—and more tenacious—challenges as the international order becomes contested and as India’s foreign policy is increasingly wrapped up in nationalistic domestic politics.
—Rohan Mukherjee, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2024
With 19 candidates contesting the election, pundits expected none to secure the 50% needed to win outright and predicted that Mr. Faye would face a runoff against President Sall’s protégé, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2024
Animal protection groups, however, have long contested the financial benefits for communities and conservation.
—Kate Brady, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Allison Kiehl, The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024
Student of the Week offers schools the chance to celebrate teens who have placed in an art, dance or music competition, excelled in a science fair, won an essay contest, received a scholarship, were recognized for their volunteer service or have shined in some other way.
—Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Zac Anderson The contentious 2024 presidential primary contest between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump didn’t sour Republicans on the governor in the state both men call home.
—USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
The Avs went a step further Sunday, putting their newfound Jekyll-and-Hyde persona on display inside the same contest.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Beneath the narrowing contest, many of the fundamentals of the race appear largely unchanged.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
His double-dinger game came a day after his first multi-hit contest of the season.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Flower Mound proceeded to play ultra defensive soccer, holding the lead for the rest of the contest.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
In addition to the presidency, the U.S. Senate majority may be decided by the state’s high-profile contest between Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in the race to replace retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
—Steve Peoples, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
The 13th House District, which covers parts of Detroit and Warren, will be contested between Democrat Mai Xiong and Republican Ronald Singer.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 16 Apr. 2024
The game was contested Saturday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2024
In 2019, more than 8,000 candidates contested the election.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The role that ideology may have played in Bernstein’s death will be sharply contested at his trial, with opening statements expected to begin Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court.
—Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
March 24, 2023 Upper-level competition in this year’s Crew Classic has also been adversely impacted; the U.S. Olympic Rowing Trials are being contested this weekend.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
But both can expect more—and more tenacious—challenges as the international order becomes contested and as India’s foreign policy is increasingly wrapped up in nationalistic domestic politics.
—Rohan Mukherjee, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2024
With 19 candidates contesting the election, pundits expected none to secure the 50% needed to win outright and predicted that Mr. Faye would face a runoff against President Sall’s protégé, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2024
Animal protection groups, however, have long contested the financial benefits for communities and conservation.
—Kate Brady, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
Enjoy giveaways, local art, vendors, rolling contest, live glass blowing and more.
—Allison Kiehl, The Enquirer, 17 Apr. 2024
Student of the Week offers schools the chance to celebrate teens who have placed in an art, dance or music competition, excelled in a science fair, won an essay contest, received a scholarship, were recognized for their volunteer service or have shined in some other way.
—Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Zac Anderson The contentious 2024 presidential primary contest between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump didn’t sour Republicans on the governor in the state both men call home.
—USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
The Avs went a step further Sunday, putting their newfound Jekyll-and-Hyde persona on display inside the same contest.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Beneath the narrowing contest, many of the fundamentals of the race appear largely unchanged.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024
His double-dinger game came a day after his first multi-hit contest of the season.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
Flower Mound proceeded to play ultra defensive soccer, holding the lead for the rest of the contest.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2024
In addition to the presidency, the U.S. Senate majority may be decided by the state’s high-profile contest between Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in the race to replace retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
—Steve Peoples, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near contest
Cite this Entry
“Contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contest. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contest
1 of 2 verb
con·test
kən-ˈtest
ˈkän-ˌtest
ˈkän-ˌtest
: to make (something) a cause of dispute or fighting
contest a claim
contest
2 of 2 noun
con·test
ˈkän-ˌtest
: a struggle for victory : competition
Legal Definition
contest
1 of 2 transitive verb
con·test
kən-ˈtest
: to dispute or challenge through legal procedures
contest a will
contest
2 of 2 noun
con·test
ˈkän-ˌtest
: a challenge brought through formal or legal procedures
boundary controversies or other contests between states—Felix Frankfurter
Felix Frankfurter
specifically
: will contest see also no contest clause
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