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
The Eagles have juniors Jaurel Melo and Anyer Gomez to go along with sophomore Yeduary Soto in the outfield to be a contender once again.
—
Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
In theory, Arizona will remain a title contender on a regular basis under coach Tommy Lloyd.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
The home opener, especially for non-contenders, serves as a window into the season.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
His teams were always championship contenders but not good enough to get over the hump.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
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Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
In theory, Arizona will remain a title contender on a regular basis under coach Tommy Lloyd.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
The home opener, especially for non-contenders, serves as a window into the season.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
His teams were always championship contenders but not good enough to get over the hump.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 4 Apr. 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 8 Apr. 2026.
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