race
gb/ɹˈeɪs/ us/ɹˈeɪs/
A2
English
~ 2600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
event
1
competition of speed
A contest to see who can go the fastest and finish first.
Usage pattern:
to win/lose a race
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'race' with 'run'. 'Race' is the event, while 'run' is the action of moving fast on foot.
Synonyms
contest (General term for a competition, not necessarily about speed.)
|
sprint (Refers to a short, fast running race specifically.)
Antonyms
walkover (A competition that is won very easily without real contest.)
Collocations
win a race
|lose a race
|foot race
|car race
|enter a race
Themes
sports
|daily life
|transportation
Examples
- She trained for months to win the marathon race.
- The horse race attracted thousands of spectators.
- He entered the 100-meter race at school.
- They watched the final lap of the car race on TV.
Learner examples
- I ran in a race at school.
- The race was very fast.
- She won the race easily.
- We watched the race together.
Noun
B1
entity
2
ethnic or physical group
A group of people who have similar physical traits or family history.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s race
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'race' with 'nationality'; nationality is about citizenship, not physical traits or ancestry.
Synonyms
ethnicity (Focuses more on cultural identity than physical traits.)
Antonyms
individual (Refers to a single person rather than a group based on shared traits.)
Collocations
human race
|mixed race
|racial equality
|race relations
Themes
society
|identity
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The census asks questions about each person's race.
- He identifies as belonging to the Asian race.
- Discussions about race can be sensitive topics.
Learner examples
- My race is Asian.
- People of every race live here.
- We talked about race in class.
Verb
A2
action
3
compete by moving fast
To go very fast to try to be first.
Usage pattern:
to race [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'race' always needs an opponent; it can also mean hurrying alone toward something.
Synonyms
speed (General term for moving quickly, not necessarily in competition.)
Antonyms
crawl (To move very slowly.)
Collocations
race against time
|race each other
|race home
Themes
sports
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They raced each other to the bus stop.
- The two cyclists raced for the finish line.
- We raced home before the rain started.
Learner examples
- I raced my friend to school.
- They raced to the park.
- We raced to catch the train.
Noun
B1
entity
4
all human beings collectively
All people in the world together.
Usage pattern:
the human race
Synonyms
humanity (More formal and emotional term for all humans collectively.)
Antonyms
animals (Refers to non-human creatures.)
Collocations
the human race
Themes
society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The survival of the human race depends on protecting our environment.
- War has threatened the existence of the human race many times.
- The human race has achieved incredible technological progress.
Learner examples
- The human race lives on Earth.
- The human race is big.
- The human race makes many things.
Grammar
Dictionary form
race
IPA
GB/ɹˈeɪs/
US/ɹˈeɪs/
Syllables & stress
race (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (race)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: race
- Plural: race, races
Verb
- Base: race
- 3rd Person Singular: races
- Present Participle: racing
- Past: raced
Word family
Forms
races
noun
racing
verb
raced
verb
Core family
racer
noun
Negative and opposite forms
anti-racist
adjective
anti-racism
noun C1
Advanced or less common
racially
adverb
Expressions
off to the races
1/ˈɔf tə ðə ɹˈeɪsɪz/
idiom
informal
start quickly and energetically
To start doing something with energy and excitement.
Examples
- Once we got the funding, we were off to the races with our project.
- She grabbed her bag and was off to the races.
race against time
1/ɹˈeɪs əɡˈɛnst tˈaɪm/
idiom
hurry to meet a deadline
To try to finish something very fast before time runs out.
Examples
- It was a race against time to rescue the miners before the floodwaters rose.
- We’re in a race against time to get the project done before Friday.
run a close race
1/ɹˈʌn ə klˈoʊs ɹˈeɪs/
idiom
competition with narrow margin
To compete in a way where it is almost equal until the end.
Examples
- The two candidates ran a close race in the election.
- It was a close race between the two swimmers until the final lap.