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

Chiles, who had a rocky two-year stint as the Spartans’ starter, finished 14-of-24 passing for 273 yards and a touchdown against a perennial FCS national title contender. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

The contenders for Google American Emerging Designer of the Year are Colleen Allen, Emily Dawn Long, Julia Ferentinos for Juju Vera, Julian Louie for Aubero, and Zane Li for Lii. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

The circus around Fielder guarantees the kind of coverage most nonfiction contenders would trade a lung for. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

For $500 off, this Samsung tablet is a strong contender for your next versatile daily driver. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 8 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