1
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
a strong contender for the mayoral position
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in competitor
one who strives for the same thing as another
several contenders competing for the title of the city's best Italian restaurant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contender
They will then be evaluated in January 2026, and the ten strongest contenders will receive up to 350,000 Euros for the second stage.
—
David Hambling, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
With Staley leading the way, the Gamecocks are always going to be a contender.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Dracut climbed the rankings after cruising through its Merrimack Valley Conference slate, and is a contender as the No. 4 seed.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 29 May 2025
But now the Lions are contenders in the NFC after finishing 27-7 the last two seasons.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
David Hambling, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
With Staley leading the way, the Gamecocks are always going to be a contender.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Dracut climbed the rankings after cruising through its Merrimack Valley Conference slate, and is a contender as the No. 4 seed.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 29 May 2025
But now the Lions are contenders in the NFC after finishing 27-7 the last two seasons.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
-
Lee said she’s voiced this concern to Johnson before and suggested Asian American candidates for open positions, but they were not selected.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
-
Adams is instead seeking reelection in November’s general election as an independent candidate.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Hernandez beat out all other competitors in the triple jump, though the runner-up was also awarded 1st place under new rules established by the California Interscholastic Federation after Trump issued his threats.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
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Caron was used to seeing my fiery side, the fierce competitor, the demanding coach.—
Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
31 May 2025
Noun
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In honor of the Calgary Stampede, an outdoor rodeo held there since 1912, and its pancake-breakfast tradition, the contestants have to cook a handheld pancake that the judges (and 50 diners!) can eat without utensils.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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The series features a fully interactive format with a live chat feature that allows viewers to engage directly with contestants.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The Braves will play Trinity League rival Santa Margarita in Friday’s 7 p.m. Division 1 championship game at Cal State Fullerton.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Alex closed the season by proposing a merger between her struggling network, UBA, and its rival, NBN, after discovering that tech powerhouse and potential UBA buyer Paul was spying on her co-workers.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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