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
Almost all our judges loved this Car of the Year contender.
—
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2025
The final Oscar voting period has begun, and the year of multiple contenders has finally found its frontrunner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
That distinction — great — belongs to the NBA’s true title contenders, a category that remains exclusive.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2025
While 14 candidates are in the race, polls suggest the top contenders will be Noboa of the National Democratic Action Party (ADN) and Luisa González of Citizen Revolution (RC), the leftist who lost to him in the 2023 special election.
—Jesus Mesa, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contender 
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Robert Ross, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2025
The final Oscar voting period has begun, and the year of multiple contenders has finally found its frontrunner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
That distinction — great — belongs to the NBA’s true title contenders, a category that remains exclusive.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2025
While 14 candidates are in the race, polls suggest the top contenders will be Noboa of the National Democratic Action Party (ADN) and Luisa González of Citizen Revolution (RC), the leftist who lost to him in the 2023 special election.
—Jesus Mesa, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contender
Dictionary Entries Near contender
Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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