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

• competitor
• contender
• challenger
• 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

Cynthia is now the only contestant to have made the semifinals without winning a challenge. —Chris Feil, Vulture, 27 June 2025

The season had plenty of surprises besides Oscar-winning actresses, too — most notably the inclusion of an innocent newborn infant as a contestant in the game, an upping of the show’s anti-capitalist moral stakes to their logical extreme. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025

However, others in the comment section felt that the woman’s connection to the final clue gave her an unfair advantage over her other contestants. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 25 June 2025

Many viewers and fellow contestants felt that the couple rushed into a serious dynamic too quickly, causing conflict in the villa. —Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

contest entry 1 + -ant entry 1

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for contestant

• decongestant

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