contender

noun

con·tend·er kən-ˈten-dər

Synonyms of contender next

: 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 This year’s finals were helped even more by a close battle between a perennial WNBA powerhouse in the Lynx and a previously championship-less contender in the Liberty. —

Jake Piazza, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024 For now, Golden State heads into the 2024-25 season a tier behind the top-end contenders in the Western Conference. —

Vincent Frank, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 But if that pair is able to remain healthy and build some cohesion, the Bucks could be real contenders again. —

Matias Grez, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024 Common & Pete Rock are strong contenders with The Auditorium Vol. 1, and Killer Mike could bookend last year’s victory with a nod (and possible win) for Songs for Sinners and Saints. —

Kyle Denis, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for contender

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.