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
That sacrifice of torso, which Donovan pointed to last postseason as a throughline for contenders and their willingness to make winning plays, is being underscored with his aid.
—
Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Johnson and Blunt continue to remain in the mix as Oscar contenders for the movie.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
The sports biopic has been positioned as a potential Oscar contender for Johnson but performed poorly in its debut with just $6 million, per Comscore.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Both Lorde and Bon Iver have received Grammy nods for album of the year in the past, and with Virgin and Sable, Fable as potential contenders this year, Stack may wind up on the shortlist for producer of the year, non-classical.
—Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
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Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Johnson and Blunt continue to remain in the mix as Oscar contenders for the movie.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025
The sports biopic has been positioned as a potential Oscar contender for Johnson but performed poorly in its debut with just $6 million, per Comscore.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Both Lorde and Bon Iver have received Grammy nods for album of the year in the past, and with Virgin and Sable, Fable as potential contenders this year, Stack may wind up on the shortlist for producer of the year, non-classical.
—Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 6 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2025.
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