1
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
a strong contender for the mayoral position
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of contender
From the Sports Desk Football: Louisville football will again play three of the top ACC contenders, which could boost its standing nationally and pad its pockets financially, our C.L. Brown explains in his latest column.
—
Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
The expectation around the league is that the next day-and-a-half will bring a flurry of trades and that some of the contenders in the NL will look significantly different come Thursday night.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025
With Trump constitutionally unable to run again, at least in theory, current VP JD Vance looks to be the top GOP contender – a match-up over which Harris and many other Democrats can barely contain themselves.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 July 2025
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are heading into the 2025 college football season as one of the top contenders in the nation.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
The expectation around the league is that the next day-and-a-half will bring a flurry of trades and that some of the contenders in the NL will look significantly different come Thursday night.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2025
With Trump constitutionally unable to run again, at least in theory, current VP JD Vance looks to be the top GOP contender – a match-up over which Harris and many other Democrats can barely contain themselves.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 July 2025
Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns are heading into the 2025 college football season as one of the top contenders in the nation.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
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The tribes noted that the result of the redistricting was that for the first time in 35 years, no Native American candidate was serving in the North Dakota Senate.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
24 July 2025
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Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, also considered a possible candidate on the Democratic sided, issued a staement praising Evers.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Rather than relying exclusively on team members for data insights and execution, understanding how to effectively use AI tools will enable creative directors to significantly enhance their team’s efficiency and stay ahead of competitors.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Deutsche Bank: Buy, price target to $266 from $230 Amazon market share gains have accelerated in the absence of e-commerce competitors Temu and Shein, supporting a case for upside in second- and third-quarter numbers, analyst Lee Horowitz said in a July 22 report.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Now, a new documentary explores whether the contestants, who tried to lose as much weight as possible, were positively or negatively impacted by the competition.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
22 July 2025
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Bananas, who's won the show more than any other player, will return in the upcoming season of the franchise, which will feature seasoned contestants and some rookies.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
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The same could be said for other states threatened by nuclear-armed rivals.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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In the process, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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