What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Compete vs Threaten - What's the difference?

compete | threaten |

As verbs the difference between compete and threaten

is that compete is while threaten is to make a threat against someone; to use threats.

compete

English

(Webster 1913)

Verb

  • To contend emulously; to seek or strive for the same thing, position, or reward for which another is striving; to contend in rivalry, as for a prize or in business; as, tradesmen compete with one another.
  • Usage notes

    A person will compete for'' a prize received for winning a competition. Two or more persons ''compete against'' one another if they are rivals. Two or more persons can ''compete with'' each other as teammates, however ''compete with'' is also used to indicate two persons ''competing against each other.

    Derived terms

    * competitor * competition * noncompete

    threaten

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a threat against someone; to use threats.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.}}
    He threatened me with a knife.
  • To menace, or be dangerous.
  • The rocks threatened the ship's survival.
  • To portend, or give a warning of.
  • The black clouds threatened heavy rain.

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See