1
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
a strong contender for the mayoral position
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in competitor
one who strives for the same thing as another
several contenders competing for the title of the city's best Italian restaurant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contender
The quarterback was initially considered a possible contender for the first overall pick early in the draft process after finishing his final season at Colorado.
—
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
The Soviet Union, Washington’s only real contender at the time, never duplicated the feat despite putting the first man into space some eight years prior — even as sanctions-struck Russia plans to construct the International Lunar Research Station with Beijing by 2035.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
The last time the Red Sox were such legitimate contenders was 2021.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2025
The Storm once looked like contenders for a deep postseason run, but the team is now clinging to seventh place after losing five straight games in August by five points or less.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
The Soviet Union, Washington’s only real contender at the time, never duplicated the feat despite putting the first man into space some eight years prior — even as sanctions-struck Russia plans to construct the International Lunar Research Station with Beijing by 2035.
—Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
The last time the Red Sox were such legitimate contenders was 2021.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Aug. 2025
The Storm once looked like contenders for a deep postseason run, but the team is now clinging to seventh place after losing five straight games in August by five points or less.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
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Pheu Thai must nominate a new candidate for prime minister, which will be voted on by the 500-seat parliament.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
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Attracting candidates to your pipeline isn't the problem, but attracting the best talent in the market is another ball game.—
David Paffenholz,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Then, his competitors, unable to sustain their own rising costs, either closed shop or reduced their product offerings, allowing Detroit Axle to absorb new customers and sales grew.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Economic downturns, new competitors, and supply chain chaos matter less when customers see your brand as part of their identity.—
Billee Howard,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The logline: Each episode features recurring player Jimmy Fallon teaming with a contestant to face off against a celebrity/contestant duo.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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In each episode of the show, which began life in the 1960s, recurring player Fallon teams up with a contestant to face off against a celebrity guest/contestant duo.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The company has quickly fallen behind rivals like Walmart, Amazon and Costco.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
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What’s more, such companies may find rivals like Databricks and Snowflake to be a better fit – which could be profitable for Citron Research’s short position in Palantir.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
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