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
The masked killer’s latest spree made more than four times what the rest of the top-five genre contenders earned over the last three months.
—
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Apr. 2026
This year, every restaurant in Florida is a contender to become part of the 2026 Michelin Guide.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The Patrick Verona role had its own contenders.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Despite the legal challenges and criticism from state officials, Bianco has maintained support among some voters and conservative media outlets, with polling showing the sheriff among top contenders in the gubernatorial race.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 1 Apr. 2026
This year, every restaurant in Florida is a contender to become part of the 2026 Michelin Guide.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The Patrick Verona role had its own contenders.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Despite the legal challenges and criticism from state officials, Bianco has maintained support among some voters and conservative media outlets, with polling showing the sheriff among top contenders in the gubernatorial race.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
-
Four candidates vying for the 11th Congressional seat made their best pitch.—
Andrea Nakano,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Dem gubernatorial candidate racked up eye-popping travel bill as AG while out of state.—
,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the first episode’s Elimination Challenge‚ which was focused on North Carolina’s state vegetable, sweet potatoes — Cochran cooked up a pork loin in the kitchen at La Belle Helene that wasn’t quite cooked through, landing her in the bottom three competitors.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The criticism has only grown louder during the build to WrestleMania 42, with her feud against Ripley drawing significant attention due to the level of both competitors involved.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Someone handed the contestant, now with the blindfold removed, a giant check.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The show starts with 16 single contestants, where four are coupled up, and the rest are single.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Breaking a trend of players from his area who often choose the Wolverines' biggest rivals in East Lansing, Trey set his sights on Ann Arbor.—
Jack Springgate,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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But the entire episode proved a huge fundraising boon to Schiff, who pulled away from his rivals in the Senate primary and easily won the general election.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Roy, the deputy state attorney general and the most well-funded of three challengers in the June 2 city primary election, recently told the city attorney’s union that the city’s lawyers should only have to show up at the office two days a month, not counting court appearances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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Eleven days after its season ended with a loss to national title challenger South Carolina, the USC women’s basketball team is now dealing with personnel losses.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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