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
Synonyms
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
Italy has been a regular contender for the international feature Oscar since the 1940s, having won the award 14 times — the most of any country.
—
Rebecca Jarvis, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
The other Republican who had a seat at the head table for last summer’s gun negotiations is one of minority leader Mitch McConnell’s top lieutenants, John Cornyn of Texas—a leading contender for replacing the ailing GOP leader in the Senate—who shrugs off CDC gun violence research.
—Matt Laslo, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023
In the corporate tussle for cloud dominance, Google Cloud, a contender in the cloud computing arena, orchestrated a savvy advertising gambit during Amazon Web Services' (AWS) annual re:Invent conference.
—Johan Moreno, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
And its selections should provide an important look at which films are viable contenders for big awards.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
The hoped-for Chinese economic rebound is a good contender for this year’s biggest disappointment.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
The film was directed by Sam Wrench, who received a Grammy nomination late last year for directing Billie Eilish Live at the O2, which was a contender for best music film.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2023
The Ohio State Buckeyes visit the Michigan Wolverines and the winner will be a strong contender to play for a national championship.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
Tommy Hilfiger turtleneck is a great contender for your winter wardrobe.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
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Rebecca Jarvis, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023
The other Republican who had a seat at the head table for last summer’s gun negotiations is one of minority leader Mitch McConnell’s top lieutenants, John Cornyn of Texas—a leading contender for replacing the ailing GOP leader in the Senate—who shrugs off CDC gun violence research.
—Matt Laslo, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2023
In the corporate tussle for cloud dominance, Google Cloud, a contender in the cloud computing arena, orchestrated a savvy advertising gambit during Amazon Web Services' (AWS) annual re:Invent conference.
—Johan Moreno, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
And its selections should provide an important look at which films are viable contenders for big awards.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023
The hoped-for Chinese economic rebound is a good contender for this year’s biggest disappointment.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
The film was directed by Sam Wrench, who received a Grammy nomination late last year for directing Billie Eilish Live at the O2, which was a contender for best music film.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2023
The Ohio State Buckeyes visit the Michigan Wolverines and the winner will be a strong contender to play for a national championship.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
Tommy Hilfiger turtleneck is a great contender for your winter wardrobe.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contender.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1547, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on contender
Nglish: Translation of contender for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of contender for Arabic Speakers
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