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Struggle vs Contest - What's the difference?

struggle | contest | Related terms |

Contest is a synonym of struggle.



As nouns the difference between struggle and contest

is that struggle is strife, contention, great effort while contest is controversy; debate.

As verbs the difference between struggle and contest

is that struggle is to strive, to labour in difficulty, to fight (for or against), to contend while contest is to contend.

struggle

English

Alternative forms

* (l), (l) (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Strife, contention, great effort.
  • *, chapter=23
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The struggle with ways and means had recommenced, more difficult now a hundredfold than it had been before, because of their increasing needs. Their income disappeared as a little rivulet that is swallowed by the thirsty ground. He worked night and day to supplement it.}}

    Verb

    (struggl)
  • To strive, to labour in difficulty, to fight (for'' or ''against ), to contend.
  • :
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 1, author=Tom Fordyce, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland , passage=England were ponderous with ball in hand, their runners static when taking the ball and their lines obvious, while their front row struggled badly in the scrum.}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.}}
  • To strive, or to make efforts, with a twisting, or with contortions of the body.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
  • Usage notes

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

    contest

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Controversy; debate.
  • no contest
  • (uncountable) Struggle for superiority; combat.
  • (countable) A competition.
  • The child entered the spelling contest .

    Synonyms

    * (controversy) controversy, debate, discussion * (combat) battle, combat, fight * (competition) competition, pageant

    Derived terms

    (Terms derived from the noun "contest") * contest shape * fashion contest * no contest * pissing contest * popularity contest * wet t-shirt contest * will contest

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To contend.
  • I will contest for the open seat on the board.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest ?
  • * Bishop Burnet
  • The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory.
  • To call into question; to oppose.
  • The rival contested the dictator's re-election because of claims of voting irregularities.
  • * J. D. Morell
  • Few philosophical aphorisms have been more frequently repeated, few more contested than this.
  • To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.
  • The troops contested every inch of ground.
  • (legal) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist, as a claim, by course of law; to controvert.
  • Synonyms

    * (contend) compete, contend, go in for * (oppose) call into question, oppose

    Antonyms

    * (oppose) support