challenger
Americannoun
-
a person or thing that challenges.
-
Boxing. a boxer who fights a champion for his championship title.
-
Radio. interrogator.
-
U.S. Aerospace. none Challenger the second space shuttle to orbit and return to earth: exploded 1½ min. after launch on Jan. 28, 1986, causing the death of all seven on board.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of challenger
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at challenge, -er 1
Explanation
Challengers don’t let things stay the way they are, they go against something already in place, like a rule or the score on the scoreboard. Or they go after the same thing you may want, like victory in a competition or even the parking spot you were waiting for. In earlier history, during the Middle Ages, a challenger was mostly a dreaded foe or someone who wanted to fight to the death with a sword. Some challengers want to challenge the truth or rightness of something, and that can be pretty serious too. In modern times, though, the word challenger often describes competitors who want to challenge each other in sports, on TV game shows, or in arguments. These challengers enjoy the challenge itself.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If no other MP emerges as a challenger, Burnham could be the Labour leader by 17 July.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
As campaign season warms up, I’d like to know if Mayor Karen Bass and her challenger, Councilmember Nithya Raman, agree.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
This represents a dramatic shift from the last time Meng faced a primary challenger in 2020, when Meng defeated Meliquiades Gagarin with 65% support to their 20% support, with another candidate receiving around 14% support.
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026
Any challenger would likely find it difficult to secure the support of the 81 of Labour's 403 MPs needed to join a race.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
Petrosian resigned on the forty-sixth move, and Bobby Fischer was the new challenger for the World Championship.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
