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

But while that means some contestants are now free to fade back into their lives of being semi-celebrities, other contestants have remained in the eye of the public. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 5 Nov. 2024

Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016, appeared in an SNL quiz show sketch where a contestant, played by John Mulaney, could not remember his name. —Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

The Voice Battle Rounds are over — see which contestants advance to the Knockouts Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Bradshaw chooses Alcala, who appears as an ordinary contestant, but his appearance took place during his murder spree. —Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 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