contend

Compared meaning: to compete with others to win or get something (verb).

比较义项：为赢得或取得某物而与他人竞争（动词）。

• compete

  The neutral, all-purpose word for taking part in any contest; used for sports, business, exams or games without implying special intensity, and common in everyday speech.

  中性、通用的词，可指体育、商业、考试或游戏等任何形式的竞争，不特别强调激烈程度，日常口语中也很常用。

  Runners from twenty countries compete in the city marathon every spring.

  来自二十个国家的选手每年春天都会参加这座城市的马拉松比赛（竞争名次）。

• contend 本词

  Stresses a strong, hard-fought struggle against tough opposition, typically followed by 'for' plus the prize; more formal, common in sports, politics or business.

  强调与强劲对手进行艰苦的较量，后面常接 for 加上所争夺的目标，语气较为正式，常见于体育、政治或商业语境。

  Two exhausted teams will still contend for the league's final trophy.

  两支筋疲力尽的球队仍将争夺联赛的最后一座奖杯。

• vie

  Highlights intense rivalry among a few competitors chasing something scarce or desirable, such as attention or a position; formal or literary, rarely used for ordinary sports matches.

  强调少数几个竞争者之间为稀缺或令人向往的目标（如关注或职位）展开的激烈争夺，语气正式或带文学色彩，很少用于普通体育比赛。

  Two eager assistants constantly vie for the manager's attention and praise.

  两名急于表现的助理不断争夺经理的关注和赞赏。

Compete, contend, and vie all mean to compete with others to win something. Compete is the neutral word for any contest. Contend suggests a strong fight against tough opposition. Vie stresses intense rivalry over something scarce; formal or literary. Not compared: contend (to argue).

这三个词都表示为了获胜或达成目标而与别人竞争，但语气强弱和搭配习惯不同：contend 语气更强，暗示与强劲对手的激烈较量；vie 则强调少数几方为稀缺或令人向往的目标展开的争夺。此处不比较 contend 的“主张，争辩”这一义项（如 contend that …）。

Compared meaning: to work hard against difficulty (verb).

比较义项：为克服困难、对手或不利处境而努力奋斗（动词）。

• contend 本词

  Formal and often literary; typically used with 'with' to mean cope with or deal with a difficult situation or force, rather than a specific person; less common in casual speech.

  较为正式、书面化；常与 with 连用，表示应对或处理困难的处境或压力，而非针对某个具体的人；口语中较少使用。

  As mayor, she must contend with budget cuts and public criticism at once.

  作为市长，她必须同时应对预算削减和公众的批评。

• fight

  Implies direct, often aggressive or forceful conflict against a specific opponent, physical or verbal; more informal and vivid than contend, and less about inner difficulty than struggle.

  强调针对某个具体对手、往往带有攻击性或激烈色彩的直接对抗，可以是肢体上的或言语上的；比 contend 更口语、更生动，也不像 struggle 那样侧重内心的艰难。

  The two dogs started to fight over a bone in the park.

  两只狗在公园里为了一根骨头打了起来。

• struggle

  Emphasizes prolonged effort and difficulty with an uncertain outcome, often personal, emotional or financial hardship; commonly followed by 'with' or 'to' plus a verb.

  强调长期的努力和困难，结果往往不确定，常涉及个人、情感或经济上的困境；后面常接 with 或“to + 动词”。

  She struggled to pay the rent after losing her job.

  失业后，她艰难地努力支付房租。

Contend, fight, and struggle all mean to work against difficulty. Contend is formal, with 'with', for coping with a situation. Fight implies direct, forceful conflict against an opponent. Struggle stresses effort with an uncertain outcome. Contend meaning 'to compete for a prize' is not compared.

这三个词都可表示为应对困难、对手或不利处境而努力奋斗，但语气强度和正式程度不同；这里不比较 contend 表示“为奖项、头衔等而竞争”的用法（如 contend for the championship）。