contender
noun
con·tend·er
kən-ˈten-dər 
: one that contends
especially
: a competitor for a championship or high honor
a heavyweight title contender
the leading presidential contenders
Examples of contender in a Sentence
There are several contestants, but only two real contenders.
This latest defeat means that she's no longer a contender for the world title.
Recent Examples on the Web
Finally, the winner was simply the highest-finishing driver among four remaining title contenders in the season finale.
—
Arkansas Online, 13 Jan. 2026
UConn proved itself as a legitimate championship contender through the nonconference schedule and boasts one of the best resumes in the sport.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
But now the roles are reversed, with the Habs looking like contenders and the Capitals on the bubble.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The film, widely considered to be a top contender for the best picture Oscar, follows a onetime revolutionary played by Leonardo DiCaprio who must revisit his old life after his daughter is kidnapped by a former foe.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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