CHALLENGER Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

challenger

noun

Definition of challenger

as in contender

one who strives for the same thing as another the third-party challenger in the presidential election

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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.

Recent Examples of challenger Bound for Glory pay-per-view to answer Moose’s open challenger. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 The government’s refusal to make public key agreements related to the refinery has been criticized by opposition leaders, including one of Ruto’s main challengers, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. — Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 While linear broadcasters, like streamers, are still perceiving YouTube as a major disruptor and challenger, a number of them have started working more closely with the platform to tap into younger demographics and generate new advertising revenue. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Incumbent Paul Sandhu is facing challenger Tom Silva in the 5th District. — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 In retaliation for those votes, progressive Democrats in Vancouver put up a primary challenger on Gluesenkamp Perez's left. — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 That research could be leveraged to solve human healthcare challengers or pandemic responses, Lamm said. — Colleen McKown, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026 The last reporting period ended in July and showed Republican incumbent Tim O’Hare had outraised Democrat challenger Alisa Simmons 10-to-1 in the heated race for Tarrant County judge. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026 Evans’s Democratic challenger, Manny Rutinel, has pointed to bipartisan efforts during his time in the state legislature. — Eric Lau, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for challenger

Noun

Trezavant Boyd and James Perrone are both contenders for the Nat Moore Trophy, an award recognizing South Florida's top high school football player.

— CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Fest director Susan Koch is landing more and more top Oscar contenders and talent every year, as well as Oscar pundits to cover them.

— Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of contender

Noun

Across its 35-season tenure, Dancing With the Stars has only had one All-Star season full of returning contestants.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
This year, correspondent Luke Burbank attended the 65th annual competition, in which contestants were of a particularly slimy variety.

— David Morgan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of contestant

Noun

If Skydance increases spending on content, that could push its competitors to also invest more, Laurent Yoon, senior analyst at the research and brokerage firm Bernstein, told me.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Headquartered just outside Paris, the 128-year-old French giant is using this platform to prove that traditional European brands can out-innovate the incoming tide of Asian competitors.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of competitor

Noun

And that could be exactly what the Horned Frogs need to snap their rival’s four-game winning streak.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026
Democrats are more than happy to draw those connections, pummeling their Republican rivals for standing by a president who is unpopular with so many voters.

— Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of rival

Browse Nearby Words

challenged

challenger

challengers

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Style

“Challenger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/challenger. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of challenger

noun

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