Competition is the process of competing or a game or contest in which you compete. A competitor is a person who is competing.

A company might say: We are not going to enter the mobile phone market because there are too many competitors. We are not going to enter the mobile phone market because there is too much competition. Apple and Samsung are competitors. Apple and Samsung are the main competition to Huawei. Apple and Samsung are the main competitors of Huawei. Just a few examples!

Hi Jessie, you asked: " Hi friends! Are there any difference between competition and competitor when we are talking about a rival? Or are they interchangeable? Thanks!" Yes, there is a big difference in meaning between the words 'competition' and 'competitor' therefore (for this reason) they are NOT interchangeable! 😉 The word competition refers to the event they take part in; whereas, the word competitor refers to the people taking part in the competition! A synonym for a competition would be a contest; so competition and contest are interchageable! A synonym for a competitor would be a contestant so these words are interchangeable! In my opinion, the word 'rival' is also interchangeable because it is close in meaning to competitor, but is also used in general situations in life. For example: The twins were always rivals for the girl's affections! I hope this helps you! 😀

In addition to what Jonathan has mentioned, the word "competition" can also be used as a mass noun to refer to all of the competitors.