as in applicant
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
each candidate for town council was allowed to speak at the candidates' forum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of candidate
Matt Nagy isn’t the only Chiefs assistant associated with the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching job, find out who else appears to be a candidate for an NFL head coach position.
—
Mara Williams, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
In one scenario, John Mara and Steve Tisch could land Harbaugh, who is now their top candidate.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Biss is one of a dozen candidates running for the seat, and has led in most polling.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
There’s no obvious candidate this year as there was in the last cycle when Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson were viewed as shoo-ins to get a job.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for candidate
Mara Williams, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2026
In one scenario, John Mara and Steve Tisch could land Harbaugh, who is now their top candidate.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Biss is one of a dozen candidates running for the seat, and has led in most polling.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
There’s no obvious candidate this year as there was in the last cycle when Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson were viewed as shoo-ins to get a job.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for candidate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for candidate
Noun
-
After approval, the Department of Finance will mail cards -- which will include the name and address of the farm, the issue date and a unique card number -- to the applicants.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
-
While many campuses were delaying scholarship decisions until the government resolved problems with a new financial aid form, Swarthmore used other data to figure out applicants’ financial need.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trinidad unexpectedly moved into the starting lineup after the starter quarterback was injured and has since helped the Rebels become a contender in the 2025 college football playoffs, per Grand Rapids Magazine.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
This article walks you through how hair transplantation in Turkey works, why Turkey has become a global hotspot, and what makes Smile Hair Clinic a serious contender for international patients.—
Wyles Daniel,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Candidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/candidate. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share