contestant

noun

con·​tes·​tant kən-ˈte-stənt 

 also  ˈkän-ˌte-

1

: one that participates in a contest

2

: one that contests an award or decision

Synonyms

• challenger
• competition
• competitor
• contender
• corrival
• rival

Examples of contestant in a Sentence

The contestant who catches the most fish wins.

The winning contestants will receive a cash prize.

Recent Examples on the Web

He is survived by his children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy — as well as his grandchildren, which includes grandson and Claim to Fame contestant, Hugo Wentzel. —EW.com, 30 Dec. 2024

With experience as a judge on Max’s ballroom competition show Legendary, Law Roach is no stranger to delving out critiques to contestants. —Braedon Montgomery, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024

JonBenét's role as a beauty pageant contestant has led to speculation that her murderer may have attended her shows. —David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024

But, unbeknownst to the contestants, the Front Man, a former winner of the game who went on to run the horrific experiment, has disguised himself as Player 001. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

contest entry 1 + -ant entry 1

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

contestant

noun

con·​test·​ant

kən-ˈtes-tənt,

 also  ˈkän-ˌtes-

: a person who takes part in a contest

Legal Definition

contestant

noun

con·​tes·​tant

: one that initiates or participates in a contest