das Gewinnspiel, -e
contest
Definition & meaning
das Gewinnspiel (plural: die Gewinnspiele) means a prize competition, giveaway, or sweepstakes—an activity in which participants can win a prize, often by answering a question, entering their details, or being selected at random.
It is commonly used in advertising, on websites, in magazines, and on social media. Participation may be free, although some competitions require a purchase or another form of entry.
Examples:
- An einem Gewinnspiel teilnehmen — to enter or take part in a prize competition
- ein Gewinnspiel veranstalten — to organize or run a prize competition
- einen Preis gewinnen — to win a prize
Grammar & Word origin
The word consists of:
Literally, Gewinnspiel means “prize game.” The first part, Gewinn, specifies that the game offers the possibility of winning something.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- das Preisausschreiben — a competition, usually involving written submissions or answers; more formal and somewhat old-fashioned than Gewinnspiel
- die Verlosung — a prize drawing or raffle in which winners are chosen by lot; it emphasizes random selection
- der Wettbewerb — a competition in general; unlike Gewinnspiel, it does not necessarily involve a randomly awarded prize
- die Lotterie — a lottery; typically involves chance and often the purchase of a ticket, so it is not always interchangeable with Gewinnspiel
There is no exact common antonym for Gewinnspiel. Depending on the context, a competition without a prize could be described as a Wettbewerb ohne Gewinn , but this is a descriptive contrast rather than a fixed antonym.
Common phrases & collocations
- an einem Gewinnspiel teilnehmen — to enter a prize competition
- ein Gewinnspiel veranstalten — to organize a prize competition
- ein Gewinnspiel gewinnen — to win a prize competition
- der Hauptgewinn — the main prize
- die Teilnahmebedingungen — terms and conditions of participation
- Der Rechtsweg ist ausgeschlossen. — a standard legal phrase meaning that legal recourse is excluded; it is often found in the terms of promotional competitions
- Jetzt mitmachen und gewinnen! — “Take part now and win!”
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Examples
Wir machen bei dem Gewinnspiel mit.noun
We are taking part in the contest.
Der Preis des Gewinnspiels wurde heute überreicht.noun
The prize of the contest was presented today.
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