contender
noun
con·tend·er
kən-ˈten-dər 
: one that contends
especially
: a competitor for a championship or high honor
a heavyweight title contender
the leading presidential contenders
Examples of contender in a Sentence
There are several contestants, but only two real contenders.
This latest defeat means that she's no longer a contender for the world title.
Recent Examples on the Web
Here are four reasons why Mexico looks like a more real World Cup contender than the United States.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
There are other realistic podium contenders worth mentioning.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Power goes to the head of a newspaper magnate (Welles) who uses his media empire to build himself into a political contender, while a reporter (William Alland) is left piecing together the puzzle of the mogul's complicated legacy.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Cape Verde, the ultimate underdog, went toe-to-toe with a primary contender, shocking the soccer world with a 0-0 draw against Spain.
—
Amna Subhan,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
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Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
There are other realistic podium contenders worth mentioning.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Power goes to the head of a newspaper magnate (Welles) who uses his media empire to build himself into a political contender, while a reporter (William Alland) is left piecing together the puzzle of the mogul's complicated legacy.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Cape Verde, the ultimate underdog, went toe-to-toe with a primary contender, shocking the soccer world with a 0-0 draw against Spain.
—
Amna Subhan,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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