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
Here are the possible contenders.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 May 2026
This season, the Lions, Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Packers are all playoff contenders.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Which makes the possibility of the top two GOP contenders in the general election very intriguing, Craig DeLuz, director of communications for the California Republican Assembly, told USA TODAY.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 14 May 2026
All of the likely contenders face considerable obstacles of their own.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 May 2026
This season, the Lions, Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Packers are all playoff contenders.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Which makes the possibility of the top two GOP contenders in the general election very intriguing, Craig DeLuz, director of communications for the California Republican Assembly, told USA TODAY.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 14 May 2026
All of the likely contenders face considerable obstacles of their own.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender
Noun
-
Baker’s Stanford is a strong candidate, and his book follows in the tradition of Michael Lewis’s Wall Street chronicle Liar’s Poker, but with more pimples and less eye contact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt took his campaign to South Los Angeles on Wednesday, in a neighborhood incumbent Mayor Karen Bass represented during her years in Congress.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Collins’s main competitors are Derek Dooley, the former head coach of the football programs at Louisiana Tech and the University of Tennessee, and Buddy Carter, another Georgia congressman.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
Viola’s reaction spotlighted growing frustration among competitors who believe the ruling body is using procedural fixes to avoid addressing biological differences in girls' sports.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
This year’s field of 35 contestants is the smallest since 2003.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
This year's field of 35 contestants is the smallest since 2003.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The Angels had won seven consecutive games against the Dodgers, the franchise’s longest winning streak against its crosstown rival.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
-
Sean McVay’s team has a chip on its shoulder after watching the division rival Seattle Seahawks lift the Lombardi Trophy last season.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Trump has been actively endorsing challengers against Republican critics ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
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The Thunder have yet to lose a game in these playoffs, but the Spurs have been their top challenger all season and won the season series, 4-1.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contender. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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