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
Synonyms
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
His successor at Grant Park has not yet been publicly named, but strong contenders lead the season’s world premieres — all by composers either currently or recently based in Chicago — and multi-week stays.
—
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2024
Historically, high-profile third-party or independent contenders like Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996 and John Anderson in 1980 made all 51 ballots, and Kennedy seems likely to eventually make the ballot in most places.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for contender 
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2024
Historically, high-profile third-party or independent contenders like Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996 and John Anderson in 1980 made all 51 ballots, and Kennedy seems likely to eventually make the ballot in most places.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for contender
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contender.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share