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
Parolin and Tagle are the two leading contenders on various betting sites, including Polymarket and Kalshi, as bettors wage millions on the papal election.
—
Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80.
—Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
Many of the contenders will be participating in a series of talks bannered Immersive Spotlights at the Village Innovation.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2025
The Nuggets will provide a stern test for the Thunder through their combination of size and all-around magic in Jokić, with a potential all-time series brewing between two contenders as Game 2 in Oklahoma City looms on Wednesday.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
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Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80.
—Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
Many of the contenders will be participating in a series of talks bannered Immersive Spotlights at the Village Innovation.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2025
The Nuggets will provide a stern test for the Thunder through their combination of size and all-around magic in Jokić, with a potential all-time series brewing between two contenders as Game 2 in Oklahoma City looms on Wednesday.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 6 May 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 22 May. 2025.
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