CONTENDER Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

contender

noun

kən-ˈten-dər

Definition of contender

as in candidate

one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award a strong contender for the mayoral position

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 contender The question of who is — or is not — a legitimate contender is wide open. — Neil Paine, New York Times, 16 July 2026 See IndieWire’s full list of 2026 Emmy predictions, complete with frontrunners, contenders, and long shots on our website. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 15 July 2026 While the official list of final contenders remains under wraps as the city screens the entries, the public will get its first look at the proposals when the survey launches Saturday. — Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 15 July 2026 Meanwhile, Doug Petno and Troy Rohrbaugh, who have jointly led the bank’s commercial and investment banking division since early 2024, are now the top contenders to succeed Dimon. — Hugh Son,laya Neelakandan,leslie Picker,ritika Shah, CNBC, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for contender

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender

Noun

Kyle Clark, an anchorman on Denver’s 9News, asked the candidate in a persistent and revealing sit-down interview.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
That might not be enough, however, to sway right-leaning independent voters such as Ernie Barten, 75, of Phoenix, who planned to support first-time candidate Neely in the GOP primary.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 July 2026

Definition of candidate

Noun

All while the other competitor in the arena, Matt Kuchar, stood and waited, with the biggest round of his life on the line.

— Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
With ruthless competitors who will stop at nothing to dethrone and destroy them, the Whitlocks are a blue-collar dynasty at the edge of extinction – and the old king is fighting to hold onto the crown.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 July 2026

Definition of competitor

Noun

There was no other contestant other than Burnham, who comfortably surpassed that threshold.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
After her win, BeBe remained a television personality, appearing on several episodes of RuPaul’s Drag U and as a surprise contestant on season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in 2018.

— Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026

Definition of contestant

Noun

One of her rivals is Jason Sandy, who has more than a hundred thousand followers on Instagram and sits on the board of the Society of Thames Mudlarks.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
The men’s World Cup’s closest rival for global viewership is the Summer Olympic Games.

— Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of rival

Noun

This same poll showed Hochul, a Democrat, leading her Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, by a margin of 20 percentage points – a promising sign for her reelection campaign.

— Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 14 July 2026
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, several would-be Collins' challengers descended upon the scene — and her office — to speak out.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026