Which to use
“compete” is a verb and “computer” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,678
- “compete” frequency rank
- #1,136
- “computer” frequency rank
- 4814
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | compete | computer |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend. | A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large amounts of data very quickly; now especially, a small one for personal or home use employed for manipulating text or graphics, accessing the Internet, or playing games or media. |
Where the eye mixes compete and computer
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses compete with computer
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: compete is /kəmˈpiːt/ while computer is /kəmˈpjuːtə/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4814, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
compete is recorded at frequency rank #3,678, classified as averb, pronounced /kəmˈpiːt/. computer is at rank #1,136, tagged as anoun, pronounced /kəmˈpjuːtə/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 4814, this pair ranks #517,581 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of compete vs computer
Shared letters: cemopt. Private to "compete": -. Private to "computer": ru.
"compete" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVCV · "computer" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "compete" and "computer" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "compete" or "computer"?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "compete" and "computer" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "compete" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "computer" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #517,581 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "compete" and "computer" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "cometh vs compete". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #517,581 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.