What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
compete
Example
The athletes will compete in the upcoming tournament. [compete: verb]
Example
She loves to compete in chess tournaments. [compete: verb]
contend
Example
The two political parties will contend for the presidency in the upcoming election. [contend: verb]
Example
He contended that his proposal was the best option. [contended: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Compete is more commonly used than contend in everyday language. Compete is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while contend is less common and has a more specific usage.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between compete and contend?
Both compete and contend can be used in formal and informal contexts, but contend may be perceived as more formal due to its less frequent usage.
