as in contender
one who strives for the same thing as another
the third-party challenger in the presidential election
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Recent Examples of challenger
But 2026 isn’t 2022, with years of GOP control giving challengers clearer lines of attack.
—
Karen Brooks Harper, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026
Quigley has filed for re-election for his current seat in Congress and faces four challengers in the Democratic primary election in March.
—Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
So far, Bass’ major challengers are embracing that strategy.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
In the aftermath of Mamdani’s election success, progressive candidates are starting to emerge as primary challengers to more moderate Democrats in this year’s midterm elections, and the topic of Israel figures to play a role in those congressional races.
—Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
On paper, the resulting force was capable of overwhelming any internal challenger.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Stefanski stands out as the top challenger to Harbaugh in the early stages of the search.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Bass is seeking reelection, with challengers including Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Trump continues training political firepower on Thomas Massie as challenger files to run.
—FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for challenger
Noun
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Injuries, trade speculation, poor performances — the Devils were expected to return to Stanley Cup contender status this season and instead began Thursday morning in 13th place in the East, one spot in front of Ottawa.—
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Instead, Chiprut recommends opting for a countertop material that will patina nicely over time, citing marble and soapstone as two of her top contenders.—
Noun
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The former Miss Universe 2023 contestant recently joined Almost Honest podcast host and Miss International 2016, Kylie Verzosa, to talk about their hopes for the future of the Miss Universe pageant and why they’ve been disappointed with it as of late.—
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Unlike previous iterations of Fear Factor, which featured new contestants in every episode, House of Fear will corral its 14 contestants under the same roof, Big Brother-style.—
Noun
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Bannock plan pivots to condos Ahlquist is taking a different approach to downtown living than many competitors.—
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The xAI safety team, already small compared to its competitors, lost several staffers in the weeks leading up to the controversy.—
Noun
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But the Comets responded to the disappointment of suddenly going down 8-5 to their biggest rival.—
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Evans played Alexis’ rival, Krystle Carrington, on Dynasty.—
Cite this Entry
“Challenger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/challenger. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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