18 Other Ways to Say a Run for Your Money (With Examples)

You often hear people talk about giving someone a tough time in a game or a job. It means you are working hard to be as good as they are. If you want to use other ways to say a run for your money, I have many great ideas for you today.

18 Other Ways to Say a Run for Your Money (With Examples)

Keep Them on Their Toes

This is a fun phrase to use when you make someone stay very alert. It means you are doing such a good job that the other person cannot relax at all. They have to watch you closely because you might win. It shows that you are a strong player and you have a lot of skill. You are making the situation very exciting for everyone. It is a great way to describe a very close and tough race.

You really keep them on their toes.
She keeps the boss on her toes.
The new team keeps us on our toes.
Try to keep them on their toes today.
He always keeps his rivals on their toes.
Your fast pace keeps me on my toes.

Give Them a Hard Time

When you give someone a hard time in a contest, it means you are not letting them win easily. You are fighting for every point and making them work for it. It does not mean you are being mean or rude to them. Instead, it shows that you are a very tough person to beat. This phrase is perfect for sports or games. It tells people that the match was not simple or easy for the winner.

I will give them a hard time.
She gave the champ a hard time.
They gave us a very hard time.
Do not let them give you a hard time.
The small school gave them a hard time.
We gave the other team a hard time.

Make Them Work for It

If you make someone work for a win, you are showing your best skills. They might eventually win the prize, but it will take all of their energy. You are making sure that the victory feels earned and not just handed over. This is a very respectful way to compete with others. It means you are a high level player. People love to watch a game where both sides have to work very hard to get a score.

You must make them work for it.
The goalie made them work for it.
We really made them work for it.
She will make them work for it.
He made the leader work for it.
They made the favorites work for it.

Put Up a Good Fight

This saying is used when you do your very best against a strong opponent. Even if you do not come out on top, everyone saw how hard you tried. It means you were brave and you did not quit when things got tough. It is a very positive thing to say about someone. It shows that you have a lot of heart. Using this phrase makes you sound like a very supportive and kind person.

You put up a good fight today.
Our team put up a good fight.
He put up a good fight alone.
They always put up a good fight.
She put up a good fight lately.
We want to put up a good fight.

Give Them a Challenge

A challenge is something that is not easy to do. When you give someone a challenge, you are testing their limits. You are being a hurdle that they have to jump over. It is a professional way to talk about competition in an office or at school. It sounds very smart and focused. You are telling the world that you are a person who has a lot of talent and you are ready to show it.

You give them a real challenge.
That game gave them a challenge.
She gives her peers a challenge.
We like to give them a challenge.
He gave the best runner a challenge.
The test gave us a big challenge.

Push Them to the Limit

This is a very strong phrase for when things are very intense. It means you are forcing the other person to use every bit of their strength. They cannot hold back because you are right there with them. You are pushing them as far as they can go. It describes a very high level of competition. This is perfect for talking about professional athletes or top students who are always trying to be the best in their class.

You push them to the limit now.
The heat pushed them to the limit.
She pushes the staff to the limit.
They push each other to the limit.
We pushed the car to the limit.
He pushed his body to the limit.

Be a Close Second

Sometimes you do not win, but you are so close that it almost feels like a tie. Being a close second means you were right behind the winner the whole time. You were a real threat to their first place spot. It is a proud thing to be. It shows that there is very little difference between your skills and theirs. It is one of the best other ways to say you were a tough rival in a game.

You were a very close second.
She finished as a close second.
We are often a close second.
He was a close second today.
The blue car was a close second.
They remained a close second all year.

Give Them a Scare

This phrase is a bit funny because it means the winner was afraid they might lose to you. You played so well that they got nervous. It shows that you have more power than people thought you had. You surprised them with your talent. It is a great way to talk about an underdog who almost beats a famous champion. It adds a lot of excitement to your story when you use this very cool and easy phrase.

You gave the leader a scare.
Our small team gave them a scare.
She really gave them a scare.
He gave the fast runner a scare.
We gave the big school a scare.
The new kid gave them a scare.

Press Them Hard

When you press someone hard, you are putting a lot of pressure on them. You are not giving them any room to breathe or make a mistake. You are staying very close to them in the race or the project. This is a very active way to describe a rivalry. It sounds like you are moving forward with a lot of force. It is a simple way to show that you are a very serious and focused person.

You need to press them hard.
They pressed the other team hard.
We will press them hard tonight.
She pressed the top student hard.
He pressed the defending champ hard.
The sales team pressed them hard.

Be Neck and Neck

This is a classic phrase that comes from horse racing. It means two people are in the exact same position. No one is ahead and no one is behind. You are both moving at the same speed. It is a very visual way to talk about a close race. It makes the reader see the two competitors right next to each other. It is very easy for anyone to understand. It creates a lot of tension and big fun.

They are neck and neck now.
The two cars are neck and neck.
We were neck and neck today.
She is neck and neck with him.
The runners are neck and neck.
It was neck and neck at last.

Test Their Metal

This means you are seeing how strong and brave someone really is. By being a tough competitor, you are testing their character. You are making them show what they are made of deep inside. It is a slightly more formal but still very easy phrase to use. It suggests that the competition is about more than just points. It is about spirit and grit. It is a very deep and meaningful way to talk about a tough match.

You will test their metal soon.
The hard task tested their metal.
She likes to test their metal.
We tested their metal in court.
He tested their metal on field.
The long race tested their metal.

Hold Your Own

If you hold your own, it means you can stand your ground against someone very strong. You might not be the favorite to win, but you are doing a great job. You are not falling behind or giving up. You are showing that you belong in the same room as the best people. It is a very confident phrase. It tells the reader that you are steady and reliable. It is a great way to describe a solid performance.

You can really hold your own.
She held her own in there.
They held their own against us.
We must hold our own today.
He held his own with ease.
The young player held his own.

Give Them a Run

This is a shorter version of the main phrase, but it works just as well. It means you are making them run fast to stay ahead of you. You are right on their heels. It is very conversational and light. You can use it when talking to friends about a game of cards or a video game. It shows that you are a fun person to play against. It makes the whole competition sound like a lot of healthy and good exercise.

I will give them a run.
She gave the star a run.
They gave the group a run.
We gave the winners a run.
He gave the fast guy a run.
You gave the smart kid a run.

Stand Up to Them

Standing up to someone means you are not let them win without a fight. You are showing your strength and your courage. It is often used when an underdog faces a big and powerful opponent. It is a very inspiring phrase to use in your writing. It makes the person sound like a hero. It shows that they have a lot of self respect and they are not afraid of a big challenge in any way.

You stood up to them well.
She stood up to them today.
They stood up to the giants.
We must stand up to them.
He stood up to the bully.
The workers stood up to them.

Match Them Step for Step

This phrase means you are doing exactly what the other person is doing. If they move fast, you move fast. If they work hard, you work hard too. You are perfectly matched with them. It is a very rhythmic way to talk about a race or a job. It sounds like a dance where both people are in sync. It is very easy to imagine. It shows that you are just as good as the top person.

You matched them step for step.
She matched him step for step.
We matched them step for step.
They matched us step for step.
He matched the leader step for step.
The horses matched step for step.

Be a Worthy Rival

A worthy rival is someone who is respected because they are so good. When you use this phrase, you are giving a big compliment. You are saying that the competition is fair and exciting because both sides are very talented. It is a very classy way to speak. It shows that you value hard work and skill. It makes the whole story feel more important and professional. It is a great choice for a blog post about success.

You are such a worthy rival.
He found a very worthy rival.
They are worthy rivals for us.
She proved to be a worthy rival.
We need a truly worthy rival.
The two teams are worthy rivals.

Give Them a Battle

A battle sounds very big and exciting. It means the competition was very intense and went on for a long time. Both sides had to use all of their tricks and their power. It was not just a simple game. It was a struggle to see who would win. This phrase is very dramatic and fun to read. It keeps the reader interested in the outcome. It is perfect for a big sports game or a tough business deal.

You gave them a huge battle.
They gave us a long battle.
She gave them a tough battle.
We will give them a battle.
He gave the champion a battle.
The match was a real battle.

Keep It Very Close

Keeping it close means there is almost no gap between the scores. You are making sure that the winner only wins by a tiny bit. It shows that you are staying in the game until the very last second. You never let the other person get too far ahead. This is a very smart way to play. It keeps the excitement high for the fans. It shows that you are a very steady and persistent person who never gives up.

You kept it very close today.
She kept it very close tonight.
We kept it very close then.
They kept it very close always.
He kept it very close there.
Try to keep it very close.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed learning these 18 other ways to say a run for your money today. Using different words makes your talking and writing much more fun for everyone. You can pick the best phrase for any situation you find yourself in. Whether you are playing sports or working at a job, these tips will help you sound like a pro. Keep practicing these easy words and you will see how much people love to hear your new stories.