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pit against

B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To make two people or teams fight or compete against each other.

Literal meaning: To place in a pit (an arena for animal fighting) against an opponent — evokes gladiatorial or animal combat.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic neutral

To place people, groups, or things in direct competition or conflict with one another.

"The tournament pitted the top seeds against total unknowns in the first round."

""It is a film that pits man against nature.""

— Roger Ebert, film review of 'The Revenant', RogerEbert.com, 2015
Grammar: separable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To test one's own skills, strength, or intelligence in competition against someone or something.

"She relished the chance to pit her wits against the reigning chess champion."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Usually used in passive constructions ('they were pitted against each other') or with a human agent deliberately arranging the conflict. Common in sports, politics, and business contexts. The metaphor comes from cockfighting or bear-baiting 'pits' where animals were made to fight. Neutral in register but slightly dramatic in tone.

Commonly used with

rivals opponents teams nations wits each other

Forms

Base
pit against
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pits against
he/she/it
Past simple
pited against
yesterday
Past participle
pited against
have + pp
-ing form
piting against
continuous

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Synonyms

set against match against oppose put in competition with square off against face off against

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