describes rivalry for limited resources

to talk about contests, markets, or awards

sports competitions, business market battles, job application processes

professional settings (business meetings), academic discussions (economics/competition theory), sports commentary

compete for

compete for

The noun following 'compete for' can be replaced with various items of contention, such as a contract, championship, resources, market share, or a specific award.

• fiercely
• actively
• increasingly
• forces to compete for
• hard to compete for

• vie for
• contest
• contend for

using *compete for against; using *compete to win (correct as complementary but not with a noun)

vie for, contend for, battle for, struggle for

some languages use ‘compete’ directly without the preposition ‘for’, leading learners to confuse it with other idioms like ‘compete against’ or ‘compete to win’

• vie for
• contend for
• battle for
• struggle for

'compete for' targets the prize/resource being contested, whereas 'compete against' focuses on competing with another entity/opponent.

conveys a dynamic, competitive atmosphere and highlights scarcity of resources.

compete for

The phrase 'compete for something' is commonly used to describe situations where multiple parties are trying to win or gain a particular resource, prize, or advantage. It is often used in contexts where there is a clear understanding of what is being contested, such as in business, sports, or academic settings.

use ‘jostle for’, ‘vie for’ to add colour