CONTENDER Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

contender

noun

kən-ˈten-dər

Definition of contender

as in candidate

one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award a strong contender for the mayoral position

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in competitor

one who strives for the same thing as another several contenders competing for the title of the city's best Italian restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 contender Google’s streaming behemoth is becoming ever more integral to media development, distribution and marketing plans for most contenders in media, from the biggest Hollywood studios to indie startups. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 For Venture Lifestyle founder and CEO Rabih Mokbel, the partnership offered an opportunity to position Egypt as a serious contender in the international festival market. — Peony Hirwani, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026 That would make this the oldest shipwreck ever found, surpassing the previous contender by centuries. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026 Her brother, Malcolm Todd, who released his second album Do That Again last summer, is a contender for this category as well. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contender

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contender

Noun

After all, states like Georgia and Arizona were also once solidly red until break-out candidates—backed by party spending—upended those assumptions.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
But most of the likely Democratic candidates simply don’t agree that a genocide happened in Gaza, and reject the question’s premise.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of candidate

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

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

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

Noun

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