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
The lead-up to the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials in Minneapolis took a heartbreaking turn after one of the top contenders for the women's Olympic team was injured during podium training.
—
Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 27 June 2024
The two oldest nominees in U.S. history are also some of the most dissimilar contenders for another four years in a job both have now done.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 June 2024
After exceeding expectations and developing into a contender for the county title in 2023, Winters Mill coach Darian Meador and returning player of the year Reed Postlethwait knew the team had some things to address heading into the 2024 season to keep the team among the county’s elite.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2024
Participation in the series has become a hallmark of career achievement for awards contenders.
—Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for contender 
Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 27 June 2024
The two oldest nominees in U.S. history are also some of the most dissimilar contenders for another four years in a job both have now done.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 June 2024
After exceeding expectations and developing into a contender for the county title in 2023, Winters Mill coach Darian Meador and returning player of the year Reed Postlethwait knew the team had some things to address heading into the 2024 season to keep the team among the county’s elite.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2024
Participation in the series has become a hallmark of career achievement for awards contenders.
—Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 June 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 2 Jul. 2024.
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