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
Nembhard was closing in on the maximum number of games allowed under two-way contracts when the Mavericks turned Jones loose to give him a chance to sign with a contender.
—
CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Sirāt, which won Cannes’ Jury Prize last year and is Spain’s contender for the best international feature Oscar, as well as an Academy Award contender for best sound, did not go home empty handed.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 1 Mar. 2026
Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, who also represents the most conservative wing of the clerical establishment and sits in the Assembly of Experts, is another contender.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Middleton weighed the decision to stay or join a championship contender for the last few weeks, but ultimately decided to spend the rest of the regular season in a Mavericks uniform instead.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
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CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Sirāt, which won Cannes’ Jury Prize last year and is Spain’s contender for the best international feature Oscar, as well as an Academy Award contender for best sound, did not go home empty handed.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 1 Mar. 2026
Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, who also represents the most conservative wing of the clerical establishment and sits in the Assembly of Experts, is another contender.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Middleton weighed the decision to stay or join a championship contender for the last few weeks, but ultimately decided to spend the rest of the regular season in a Mavericks uniform instead.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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