contender
noun
con·tend·er
kən-ˈten-dər 
: one that contends
especially
: a competitor for a championship or high honor
a heavyweight title contender
the leading presidential contenders
Examples of contender in a Sentence
There are several contestants, but only two real contenders.
This latest defeat means that she's no longer a contender for the world title.
Recent Examples on the Web
Baltimore's next two games against the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams will likely go a long way toward determining if the Ravens are a legit playoff contender or not.
—
Hunter Simpson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
Karley Scott Collins, Flight Risk Collins just released her 16-song debut album Flight Risk and in the process has positioned herself as a top new worthy contender for fans’ attention.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
That is a contender-worthy big four, one that (combined with the team’s depth) easily positions the Capitals as an Eastern Conference powerhouse.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
China has selected Dead to Rights, a harrowing historical drama set amid the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, as its official contender for the 98th Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
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Hunter Simpson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
Karley Scott Collins, Flight Risk Collins just released her 16-song debut album Flight Risk and in the process has positioned herself as a top new worthy contender for fans’ attention.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
That is a contender-worthy big four, one that (combined with the team’s depth) easily positions the Capitals as an Eastern Conference powerhouse.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
China has selected Dead to Rights, a harrowing historical drama set amid the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, as its official contender for the 98th Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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