dark horses

noun

plural of dark horse
1
as in stalking horses

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in long shots

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dark horses
  1. competitors
  2. plays
  3. favorites
  4. contestants
  5. entrants
  6. qualifiers
  7. entries
  8. candidates
Noun
  • Erik Shirai cinematically captures the spectacle of strength that is the world of professional sumo wrestling, and shines a rare spotlight on the secrecy of the sport and its formidable competitors.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The fifth-highest payroll, the Toronto Blue Jays – seen as serious competitors for the AL East title – saw their season end before October.
    — Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of competitors
Noun
  • On the next snap, Jackson ran for 64 yards, and three plays later the Wildcats got the touchdown they were denied moments earlier.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Buckeyes quarterback's pass was intercepted deep in Ohio State territory, and two plays later, Hoosiers running back Turbo Richard scored on a 7-yard touchdown run.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of plays
Noun
  • At first, Havana Harry’s will offer lunch and dinner daily, serving its longtime favorites like ropa vieja, arroz con pollo, Cuban sandwiches and croquetas and its famous chicken vaca frita.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Shop the full collection to see the stunning editorial images with the pieces styled perfectly, or shop two of our favorites below.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of favorites
Noun
  • While traditional family recipes and regional specialities are at the heart of the competition, contestants are pushed outside their comfort zones through challenges inspired by fine dining, street food and international cuisines.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In the long-running web series, hosts interview everyday consumers on the street and then negotiate massive product discounts directly with company bosses, securing bargains for contestants.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of contestants
Noun
  • Lining up Saturday morning, entrants will compete either the 5K, 10K, half or full marathon races.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • First Proof’s rules require any entrants to be openly available, so OpenAI’s blockbuster new model was excluded.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of entrants
Noun
  • For the first time in quite a while, the western and eastern Europe qualifiers have been merged into one super qualifier, featuring top teams from both regions.
    — Mike Stubbs, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Definition of qualifiers
Noun
  • The songs on Purdy also have the tone of journal entries, detailing haggard trips to the grocery store, daydreams about his young daughters’ glamorous adult lives, and observations about the banality of oppression.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Five entries appearing in the notice refer to variations of his name and identify the same individual.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of entries
Noun
  • The potential candidates will also hear more cynical arguments in favor of running no matter what.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Kristin Pawlik and Wendy Howerton garnered the most votes among the three candidates in the March nonpartisan judicial race, but neither got more than the 50% required to win outright.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of candidates
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.

Browse Nearby Words

dark horse
dark horses
darkish
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Cite this Entry

“Dark horses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dark%20horses. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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