What does competitive mean?
Competitive is an adjective describing anything shaped by rivalry — situations in which individuals, teams, companies, or nations strive against one another for the same prize, whether that is a championship, a contract, or a customer. It also characterizes people who are strongly motivated to win, sometimes to the point of turning casual games into contests. In economics, 'competitive' often carries a positive sense: a competitive price is one low enough to attract buyers against rival offers, and a competitive advantage is what lets one firm outperform another. The word derives from the Latin competere, meaning to strive together or seek something in common, a reminder that competition originally implied shared aims pursued by more than one party. Its common derivatives include competitively and competitiveness, and its near-constant companions in everyday usage are phrases like 'competitive market' and 'competitive edge.'
Involving or characterized by rivalry; striving to win or gain an advantage over others.
"Graduate admissions at top universities are highly competitive."
Having a strong desire to win or be more successful than others.
"Her competitive streak shows even in casual card games."
When applied to people, this sense can read as either praise or criticism depending on tone.
(Of prices or goods) as good as or better than those of rivals; able to succeed in the marketplace.
"The company cut costs to keep its prices competitive."
The Latin root of 'competitive' literally means 'to strive together' — ancient Romans saw rivalry and coming together as two sides of the same word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of competitive
Competitive entered English in the early 17th century, borrowed from Late Latin competitivus, built on the verb competere, meaning 'to strive together' or 'to seek in common.' The Latin root combines com- ('with, together') and petere ('to seek, aim at'), the same root that gives us petition and appetite. Over time the English sense shifted from joint pursuit toward rivalry, so that today competitive almost always implies contest rather than cooperation.
Related word forms
How competitive is actually used
Neutral to slightly negative when describing markets ('cutthroat' intensifies this); describing a person as 'competitive' can be complimentary or critical depending on context. Commonly used in business and sports writing.
Easily confused with competitive
Competent means having the necessary skill to do something well, while competitive means relating to or driven by rivalry.