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 of contestant

• 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

Rick Devens assumed an entirely new identity for his stay at Ponderosa, where contestants live both before the game and after they are voted off. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026

The new twist allows viewers to know one contestant’s identity while keeping it hidden from judges Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora, her Descendants costar. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026

Episodes will air live Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, and will include real-time voting for viewers to help pick which contestants move forward in the competition. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026

Shortly before his exit, Rourke received a warning after his remarks about fellow contestant JoJo Siwa’s sexuality. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026

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