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
Faiz Shakir, the former presidential campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 effort was also a contender.
—
Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 1 Feb. 2025
Pitchers as reliable as Cease seldom get traded by a playoff contender going into a season.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
The prospects of a new collective bargaining agreement will influence this season’s free agency, but expect to see stars change uniforms and championship contenders rearrange their rosters.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 31 Jan. 2025
The open seat is already drawing several possible contenders — including Rogers, who lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in November last year.
—Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contender 
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Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 1 Feb. 2025
Pitchers as reliable as Cease seldom get traded by a playoff contender going into a season.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
The prospects of a new collective bargaining agreement will influence this season’s free agency, but expect to see stars change uniforms and championship contenders rearrange their rosters.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 31 Jan. 2025
The open seat is already drawing several possible contenders — including Rogers, who lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in November last year.
—Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Jan. 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 10 Feb. 2025.
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