contestant

noun

con·​tes·​tant kən-ˈte-stənt How to pronounce contestant (audio)
 also  ˈkän-ˌte-
1
: one that participates in a contest
2
: one that contests an award or decision

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
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.
Further, protecting contestants from isolation and being exemplified or tokenized – at all levels of productions – is needed to provide greater accountability when portraying the raw realities of LGBTQ people on screen in a reality setting. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025 Further, protecting contestants from isolation and being exemplified or tokenized – at all levels of productions – is needed to provide greater accountability when portraying the raw realities of LGBTQ people on screen in a reality setting. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 Mar. 2025 And Bong is the wrong pop artist to convey cultural dissent — as Kendrick Lamar did in his controversial Super Bowl Halftime Show that portrayed black Americans as video game figures resembling Mickey in his space suit and those contestants in Squid Game TV series. Armond White, National Review, 12 Mar. 2025 Introduced in 2022 to shake things up after more than 20 years on air, the platinum ticket rockets a contestant through the first week of auditions in Hollywood. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contestant

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contestant was in 1665

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contestant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contestant. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on contestant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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