oppose vs contest

oppose is not a noun while contest is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
oppose	No	No	Yes	No
contest	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, contest is a hyponym of oppose; that is, contest is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than oppose:

Other hyponyms of oppose include contend, repugn.

oppose (noun)	contest (noun)
	a struggle between rivals
	an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

oppose (verb)	contest (verb)
be resistant to	to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation
be against; express opposition to
set into opposition or rivalry
fight against or resist strongly
act against or in opposition to
contrast with equal weight or force