contender

noun

con·​tend·​er kən-ˈten-dər How to pronounce contender (audio)
: one that contends
especially : a competitor for a championship or high honor
a heavyweight title contender
the leading presidential contenders

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Conclusion To beat an internal candidate, external contenders must go beyond expectations. Gina Riley, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 So, the Packers felt Smith was expendable, and are sending him to Pittsburgh in a rare trade between the league's top contenders. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 Many successful Oscar contenders open at Sundance in January and build awareness through other festivals and screening programs in the months to follow. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024 The artisans behind some of this year’s leading award contenders discussed the importance of having the right crew on their projects at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival as part of Variety’s 10 Artisans to Watch honors. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for contender 

Word History

Etymology

contend + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contender was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near contender

Cite this Entry

“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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