beauty contest

Noun

beauty contest (plural beauty contests)

1. A competition in which participants compete for a determination that one is the most physically attractive.
   • The locomotives were labelled 'ugly', 'unsightly' and 'industrial', as their cab fronts were a mass of slats, grooves and blocks (despite the fact that, of course, locomotives are for work - it's not a beauty contest).2019 December 4, Pip Dunn, “Class 70s: a decade of disappointment?”, in Rail, page 65

   Synonyms:

   beauty pageant

2. A tender in which bidders are ranked according to some (known or secret) criteria.