contestant

noun

con·​tes·​tant kən-ˈte-stənt 

 also  ˈkän-ˌte-

1

: one that participates in a contest

2

: one that contests an award or decision

Synonyms

• challenger
• competition
• competitor
• contender
• corrival
• rival

Examples of contestant in a Sentence

The contestant who catches the most fish wins.

The winning contestants will receive a cash prize.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 49-year-old broadcaster, who took over the beloved game show from veteran host Pat Sajak in September, showcased his breakdancing skills while chatting with contestants during a commercial break on Tuesday, December 10. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

The 17-time Grammy winner was a Mega Mentor this season and sat in on bass in the Semifinals last week as the contestants tackled his songs in pairs. —Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Even though the two left the show early, all contestants who featured in the season are invited to the reunion and Netflix surely wants confirmation to wait until that moment. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 5 Dec. 2024

Streamers such as Netflix have commissioned English-language shows in recent years like Too Hot to Handle, which bring together contestants from all over the world and air globally. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

contest entry 1 + -ant entry 1

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

contestant

noun

con·​test·​ant

kən-ˈtes-tənt,

 also  ˈkän-ˌtes-

: a person who takes part in a contest

Legal Definition

contestant

noun

con·​tes·​tant

: one that initiates or participates in a contest