Synonyms of candidates

candidates

noun

plural of candidate

as in applicants

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

• applicants
• contenders
• hopefuls
• aspirants
• prospects
• campaigners
• competitors
• nominees
• seekers
• contestants
• expectants
• entries
• qualifiers
• entrants
• appliers
• favorites
• claimants
• pretenders
• spoilers
• stalking horses
• running mates
• favorite sons
• crown princes
• dark horses

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incumbents
• officeholders
• awardees
• inductees
• noncandidates
• honorees
• dropouts

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of candidates

The commission now appears poised to rule next month that the Georgia Republican Assembly and its affiliated political action committee failed to property disclose more than $187,000 in spending to support numerous candidates in recent years. — David Wickert, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including the largest investment in a race ever from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Calvert and Kim were pushed into the same district by last year’s Proposition 50 and will be the only two candidates facing off for the seat in November. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Three more candidates have filed paperwork to run for municipal office in Little Rock during the November general election. — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2026

Democratic candidates seem to be politically boxed out of using AI. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026

In an interview with the online political pundit Hassan Piker, Gray said that Socialist candidates should run in seats that will flip blue. — Jack Harvel july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026

At free, Louisiana Tech transfer Jacob Fields and Jordan Lester are the two primary candidates to know. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026