an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
"The town fair will host its annual pie contest next Saturday, where neighbors compete to see who can bake the flakiest crust."
a struggle between rivals
"The two companies engaged in a fierce contest for market dominance, each trying to outdo the other with new innovations."
Controversy; debate.
"The new policy sparked a fierce contest over whether it was truly necessary for our community's future."
In plain English: A contest is a competition where people try to win something by being better than others.
"The election contest was closely watched by everyone in the country."
Usage: Use "contest" as a noun to describe a competition where participants strive to win a prize or title, not a disagreement or argument. Avoid confusing it with synonyms like "debate" or "controversy," which refer to verbal disputes rather than structured contests.
To contend.
"She decided not to contest his claim since she had no evidence to support her own version of events."
In plain English: To contest means to argue against something or try to change a decision you disagree with.
"The two runners will contest the race for first place."
Usage: Use "contest" as a verb when you challenge someone's authority or attempt to win an election against an opponent. Do not use it simply to mean competing in a game unless there is a specific rival trying to defeat you.
The word comes from the French verb contester, which originally meant "to call to witness." It entered English with this sense of summoning someone as a witness before it evolved to mean challenging or disputing something.