B1adjective1K

Competitive

UK /["/kəmˈpetətɪv/"]/US /["/kəmˈpetətɪv/"]/

Definition

used to describe a situation in which people or organizations compete against each other

In simple words: Wanting to win or be the best.

Examples

  • She has a competitive spirit that drives her to excel in every task.
  • The competitive nature of the job market makes it challenging to find employment.
  • In competitive sports, only the best athletes can succeed.
  • They entered the competitive arena of high-tech innovations.
  • Our team developed a competitive strategy to win the market.

Usage notes

Commonly used to describe people, teams, or businesses that strive to outperform others. It can be positive (driving improvement) or negative (causing stress) depending on the context.

Grammar pattern

competitive + noun (e.g. competitive nature)

Memory hint

Think of 'compete' and imagine a race where everyone is trying to win.

Collocations

  • be
  • become
  • remain
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • with
  • be
  • become
  • remain
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very
  • with

Synonyms

  • ambitious
  • aggressive
  • driven
  • rivalrous
  • assertive

Antonyms

  • uncompetitive
  • passive

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'competitiveness' as a noun in the wrong context.
  • Using 'competitive' to describe non-competitive situations.
  • Mispronouncing the word, often stressing the wrong syllable.