compete for

compete for (someone or something)

To work or put forth effort against someone or something in an attempt to gain someone or something else. I refuse to compete for a guy's affections—if he likes someone more than me, then I need to move on. I'm feeling discouraged now that I know just how many people are competing for this job.
See also: compete
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

compete for someone or something

to contend against or contest [someone] for someone or something; to struggle for someone or something [against a competitor]. They are competing for a lovely prize. Ed and Roger are competing for Alice's attention.
See also: compete
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • better of
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
  • be rough on (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
On August 1 a 2, 977 candidates will compete for 20 positions at the customs administration in Varna.
This Global Research Initiative Program (GRIP) provides the opportunity for junior foreign scientists to compete for such funds through a peer-reviewed process.
SONIA O'Sullivan will not be permitted to compete for Australia on a one-off basis at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year, it emerged yesterday.
"Too many state economic development agencies are not prepared to compete for jobs in the global marketplace of the 21st century," says Dr.
In NexGen, the Commerce Department divided the vendors into three size categories and will permit a firm to compete for task orders only against others of similar size.
He also predicted that more 18/8 scrap blends would be shipped as stainless steelmakers attempt to reduce their raw materials costs and compete for material sought by China.
Seven separate contests in two divisions--Pre-college and College--will be conducted, and contest winners will compete for the grand prize.
Why not let Israeli and Palestinian national governments compete for the wallets, if not the hearts and minds, of Palestinian Quarter and downtown East Jerusalem residents?
The division between H and P was acrimonious and strained, and we are satisfied that P could have made a strong effort to compete for the 180 clients transferred to H.
Not because it's popular or entertaining but because the mastery of technology, and the access to information and other resources that mastery brings, is critical to our ability to compete for educational, professional and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Providers must measure their value in terms of standardized outcomes of care in order to compete for the care of populations of people over time.
Exhibit 2 above illustrates how a prospective CPA firm's owners might assess market attractiveness and ability to compete for each of four services.
ones, is simply this: if foreign issuers are permitted to compete for the capital of American investors using disclosure less full than that required of American issuers, is it not unfair to compel American issuers to comply with more stringent standards?
Though metals tend to show a lower affinity for hydrogen than do bacteria, Walch notes that in experiments where she let two species of microbes with different affinities for hydrogen compete for the nutrient, the less aggressive did not lose out: It competed successfully by attaching itself directly to the hydrogen producer.
Under the new regime created by these changes, lenders would reign almost supreme, as they would be in a position to realize greater profits by forcing title and abstract companies to compete for business solely by lowering their prices.