vie
What does "vie" mean?
To "vie" means to compete eagerly with someone else in order to achieve or win something. The mental image is of two or more people pushing, straining, or racing toward a single finish line or a limited prize, where only one can emerge victorious. It is a formal verb that is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation. You will most often encounter it in news reports, business settings, or historical accounts, frequently paired with the preposition "for" to indicate the object of the competition, such as "vying for attention" or "vying for the championship."
"vie" in conversation
Office promotion
Are you going to apply for the team lead position?
Are you going to apply for the team lead position?
I don't know, half the office is vying for that spot.
I don't know, half the office is competing for that spot.
Vying for a spot implies a competitive environment.
Retail competition
Why are these two brands so aggressive?
Why are these two brands so aggressive?
They are both vying for market share in the tech sector.
They are both competing for market share in the tech sector.
Often used in business contexts to describe market rivalry.
"vie" in a sentence
The two athletes are vying for the gold medal.
The two athletes are vying for the gold medal.
Several companies are vying for the government contract.
Several companies are vying for the government contract.
The candidates spent the evening vying for the voters' attention.
The candidates spent the evening vying for the voters' attention.
