pissing contest

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A pointless competition, dispute or conflict, often over some trivial matter.

Register: slang, vulgar

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

I'm not getting into a pissing contest with him over who has the fastest car.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “pissing contest” mean?

A pointless competition, dispute or conflict, often over some trivial matter.

Is “pissing contest” formal or informal?

pissing contest is generally slang, vulgar.