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

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Recent Examples of contender Pop singer-songwriters Audrey Hobert and Malcolm Todd are both looking like strong contenders for nominations — which, on its face, is not exactly earth-shaking. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 Samantha Holloway, a leading contender for the team, owns the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and a majority stake in Climate Pledge Arena; the facility was redeveloped with basketball in mind as the Seattle Storm play there. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Now, Eastern Hills is a contender, and arguably a favorite, to run the table and win the District 5-4A Division I championship. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026 However, as Wegmans enters the market, the new contender is generating the most excitement. — Chase Jordan october 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contender

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender

Noun

Beshear has also campaigned and advertised hard for Democratic candidate Zach Dembo, who is taking on GOP candidate Ralph Alvarado in the open 6th District seat around Lexington.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Twelve candidates are on the presidential ballot, but only Lula and Bolsonaro are thought to have a real chance of becoming Brazil's next head of state.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of candidate

Noun

Working in pairs, the contestants have only basic tools and limited food.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
After three months of mandatory surgeries, dental work, starvation, and squats, the contestants see their reflections for the first time during a dramatic onscreen reveal.

— Jolene Edgar, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of contestant

Noun

As with other aspects of the company, Lauder is continually forging new ways of working to increase speed-to-market and give it a competitive edge over rivals.

— Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Mayor Johnson has attracted criticism from his 2027 rivals for not distancing himself from Dominguez.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of rival

Noun

Questions remain over how the Premier League could create competitive balance, given the vast differences in spending ability between its biggest clubs and smaller challengers.

— Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026
The abundance of peep toes and funky shapes on the runway can be partly credited to a new wave of challenger brands, raising the bar for fresh, off-kilter footwear.

— Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026