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 of contender

• candidate

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

There are two new contenders for the world’s loudest bird – and scientists are not being quiet about it. — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026

The Bengals and Chiefs are the contenders being the least helped. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

These teams typically floundered on and off the ice, draining the revenue-sharing pool and rarely fielding Stanley Cup contenders. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Minnesota made the playoffs last season and will expect to do the same, if not become more of a Stanley Cup contender, and that will be harder to do with Faber sidelined. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

contend + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for contender

• bartender
• defender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• pretender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender
• bender
• blender