1
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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of contender
Here are the possible contenders.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 May 2026
This season, the Lions, Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Packers are all playoff contenders.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Which makes the possibility of the top two GOP contenders in the general election very intriguing, Craig DeLuz, director of communications for the California Republican Assembly, told USA TODAY.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 14 May 2026
All of the likely contenders face considerable obstacles of their own.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 May 2026
This season, the Lions, Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Packers are all playoff contenders.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Which makes the possibility of the top two GOP contenders in the general election very intriguing, Craig DeLuz, director of communications for the California Republican Assembly, told USA TODAY.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 14 May 2026
All of the likely contenders face considerable obstacles of their own.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
-
This June, the Brooklyn Can’t Wait slate of reform-minded candidates is running to build a transparent, accountable, and inclusive party.—
Adam Davis,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
If accepted, candidates may begin attending seminary school, which, like other forms of higher education, will include classes, exams and studying.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Now the airline’s demise has cleared the way for competitors to raise their prices—and has left roughly seventeen thousand people out of work.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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The bad blood that had festered between the two competitors came to a boiling point.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Beast Games, a spectacle of over-the-top competition, offers 1,000 contestants the chance to win a $5 million prize with other high-value prizes being doled out in the process.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
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The contestant — last name not revealed — just won the largest prize in a single pricing game in the 54-year history of the CBS daytime game show.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
This is a matchup of longtime rivals in the old Garden Grove League.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
-
Chimaev just wants his rival to make it to the cage.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Starmer’s Cabinet colleagues expressed support, and none of the high-profile Labour politicians considered potential challengers has made a move.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 May 2026
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Like the Indiana Republicans who lost their primaries this week, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defied his party leaders on redistricting and drew the most competitive challenger of his career.—
Erin Cox,
Washington Post,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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