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vie

/vaɪ/

/vaɪ/

Other forms: vied; vying; vies

To vie for something means to compete for it. Two teams may vie for the gold medal, but one will have to go home with silver.

Vie may be spelled the same as the French word, vie, but they are pronounced differently, vī and vē respectively, and are not related in meaning or history. English vie comes from the Latin verb meaning "to invite" as in to invite a challenge. Be careful of the spelling which includes an ie to y shift. “He intends to vie for the top prize,” but “He is vying for the top prize.”

Definitions of vie
  1. verb
    compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
    synonyms: compete, contend
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    types:
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    go for, try for
    make an attempt at achieving something
    play
    participate in games or sport
    run off
    decide (a contest or competition) by a runoff
    race, run
    compete in a race
    rival
    be the rival of, be in competition with
    emulate
    compete with successfully; approach or reach equality with
    equal, match, rival, touch
    be equal to in quality or ability
    line up
    take one's position before a kick-off
    curl
    play the Scottish game of curling
    snooker
    leave one's opponent unable to take a direct shot
    revoke
    fail to follow suit when able and required to do so
    develop
    move into a strategically more advantageous position
    develop
    move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous positions
    die
    to be on base at the end of an inning, of a player
    misplay
    play wrong or in an unskillful manner
    start
    play in the starting lineup
    fumble
    drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a grounder
    volley
    make a volley
    unblock
    play the cards of (a suit) so that the last trick on which a hand can follow suit will be taken by a higher card in the hand of a partner who has the remaining cards of a combined holding
    replay
    play again
    cricket
    play cricket
    backstop
    act as a backstop
    fullback
    play the fullback
    quarterback
    play the quarterback
    cradle
    control a puck or ball by moving a stick, as in hockey or lacrosse
    exit
    lose the lead
    play out
    play to a finish
    field
    play as a fielder
    catch
    be the catcher
    bully off, face off
    start a game by a face-off
    tee off
    strike a ball from the teeing ground at the start of a hole
    ace
    play (a hole) in one stroke
    show
    finish third or better in a horse or dog race
    place
    finish second or better in a horse or dog race
    boat-race
    participate in a boat race
    horse-race
    compete in a horse race
    campaign, run
    run, stand, or compete for an office or a position
    complete, nail
    complete a pass
    outrival, outvie
    be more of a rival than
    gamble
    play games for money
    walk
    give a base on balls to
    bowl
    engage in the sport of bowling
    golf
    play golf
    bandy
    toss or strike a ball back and forth
    foul
    commit a foul; break the rules
    put out
    retire
    croquet
    play a game in which players hit a wooden ball through a series of hoops
    putt
    hit a putt
    speed skate
    race on skates
    seesaw, teeter-totter, teetertotter
    ride on a plank
    bid, call
    make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands
Pronunciation
US

/vaɪ/

UK

/vaɪ/

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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘vie'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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