beauty contest: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal to Neutral
Quick answer
What does “beauty contest” mean?
An event in which contestants are judged primarily on their physical attractiveness, often awarding a title to the winner.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An event in which contestants are judged primarily on their physical attractiveness, often awarding a title to the winner.
1. Any situation where selection is based on superficial appearance or presentation rather than substantive qualities, often used metaphorically in business, politics, or academia. 2. In finance, a meeting where multiple investment banks pitch for a deal, like an IPO or M&A advisory role.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in form and primary meaning. The metaphorical use is slightly more common in American business/political journalism. The literal event is historically more associated with American culture.
Connotations
In both varieties, the metaphorical use has negative connotations of superficial judgment. The literal event can be seen as outdated or controversial in modern discourse.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects. The compound is consistently written as two words, not hyphenated.
Grammar
How to Use “beauty contest” in a Sentence
enter [into] a beauty contestthe beauty contest between [competitors]the beauty contest for [title/prize]It's nothing more than a beauty contest.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “beauty contest” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- To beauty-contest is not a standard verb form.
- The banks are beauty-contesting for the mandate. (Informal, non-standard)
American English
- To beauty-contest is not a standard verb form.
- The firms are beauty-contesting for the contract. (Informal, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- They judged the proposals beauty-contest-style. (Hyphenated compound adverb)
American English
- The banks presented beauty-contest-fashion. (Hyphenated compound adverb)
adjective
British English
- beauty-contest mentality (hyphenated when attributive)
- a beauty-contest approach to hiring
American English
- beauty-contest politics (hyphenated when attributive)
- a beauty-contest style pitch
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'The selection of the new ad agency felt like a beauty contest rather than a review of real capabilities.' In finance: 'We have a beauty contest with five banks pitching for the merger advisory role.'
Academic
Used in critical social science or gender studies to discuss objectification, post-feminism, or media studies.
Everyday
Literal: 'My cousin is representing our county in a beauty contest this weekend.' Metaphorical: 'Choosing a paint colour shouldn't be a beauty contest—pick what's most durable.'
Technical
Rare. In computer science/engineering, occasionally used humorously to describe benchmarking tests that favour superficial specs over real-world performance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “beauty contest”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “beauty contest”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beauty contest”
- Spelling as one word: *beautycontest. Spelling with a hyphen: *beauty-contest (less common).
- Using it as a verb: *'They beauty-contested for the title.' (Incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The term for the literal event is standard, though the events themselves are often criticised. Using it metaphorically is common but can be dismissive, suggesting the selection process is shallow.
They are often synonyms. 'Pageant' can sound slightly more formal or traditional and may include talent or interview segments, while 'beauty contest' explicitly foregrounds physical appearance.
Traditionally, no; the term specifically refers to contests for women. Male equivalents are typically called 'bodybuilding competitions', 'Mr. [Country]' contests, or more generally 'male pageants'.
It refers to a competitive pitch process where multiple banks or advisors make presentations to win a client's business. The implication is that style and presentation can outweigh substance.
An event in which contestants are judged primarily on their physical attractiveness, often awarding a title to the winner.
Beauty contest is usually informal to neutral in register.
Beauty contest: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbjuːti ˌkɒn.test/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbjuː.t̬i ˌkɑːn.test/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's just a beauty contest.”
- “A beauty contest of proposals.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BEAUTY queen holding a CONE, waiting for a TEST score from the judges. BEAUTY + CONE + TEST = BEAUTY CONTEST.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELECTION IS A JUDGMENT OF APPEARANCE. CRITICAL EVALUATION IS SUPERFICIAL PAGEANTRY.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'beauty contest' MOST likely used metaphorically?