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Glite Dictionary
contender

contender

152 3.5
A person or team that competes to win a championship
  • noun
  • /kənˈtɛndər/
translation icon : contendiente
  • The team is a serious contender for the league trophy this season.
  • a serious contender
  • a leading contender
  • become a contender

Let's start with the leading contenders to join Team Trump.

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Examples

  • So yes, that's a possible contender for that challenge next year.

  • Chita Reznik was a private and a leading contender for promotion when the organization expanded.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • So things may not be looking so great, but a new contender has has appeared.

  • Oh, we have found a contender for the best thing here.

    The Try Guys

  • If he can win, he would become the number one contender.

    The Iron Claw (2023)

  • Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up

  • Number two heavyweight contender in the world.

    Cinderella Man (2005)

  • New York City and Philadelphia were the two big contenders for the site of the federal government.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Among these was Robert, the 17th Earl of Bruce, a leading contender for the crown of Scotland.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Promoters are betting this cowboy contender will be the next heavyweight champion.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

competitor
vscontender
298 2.4

A person, team, or company that tries to beat others in contests and business

aims specifically to win a top title or position of superiority
rival
vscontender
292 2.7

A person or group that competes with another for the same goal

aims for the top prize rather than only opposing a single other
challenger
vscontender
192 3.6

A person, team, or company that tries to beat the current champion

aims for championship or superiority broadly rather than only challenging the leader
contestant
vscontender
167 2.8

A person who takes part in a competition that tests skill or knowledge

aims to win top titles or positions rather than merely participating
contester
vscontender
  • Literature
1 4.2

A person who takes part in a competition

seeks a championship or superior position rather than just taking part

Antonyms

loser
166 1.0

A person or team that does not win a competition

underdog
73 3.7

A person or team expected to lose a competition

How Likely

favorite
  • US
165 1.9
front-runner
49 4.1
contender
152 3.5
competitor
298 2.4
contestant
167 2.8
also-ran
2 7.9

Surface Forms

contender singular
contenders plural

Morphology

contender = contend (transparent) = contend + er

Formed by the productive agentive suffix '-er' added to the verb 'contend'; meaning 'one who contends' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Contender comes from Latin parts con- 'with' and tendere 'to stretch', which gave the idea 'to strive' or push toward something. You can see the same 'stretch' idea in the English word tension, so a contender is someone who reaches or pushes toward a prize — a person or team trying to win.