contender
Americannoun
-
a person or group that competes against others to win something; contestant.
The three remaining contenders for the Democratic Party nomination met for a televised debate.
-
a person or group with a good chance of success in a contest.
After last season’s disaster, the Texas team needed to convince me they were a contender.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of contender
Explanation
Baseball players, boxers, politicians: each is a contender in that they compete or campaign to win something. Contender has a slightly different meaning than competitor, often implying a more vigorous, even scrappier, sense of taking on every unexpected challenge. The most famous use of contender is Marlon Brando's quote in the film On The Waterfront. Brando plays a once promising boxer whose career has been ruined by a fixed fight. "I coulda been a contender!" Brando cried, implying he could have been the boxer whom everyone wanted to defeat.
Vocabulary lists containing contender
Olympics Vocabulary for Champions
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The Greatest: Muhammad Ali
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Ungifted
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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.
In remixing one of cinema’s most revered classics with singular comedic flair, Wain has made a contender for his best film that succeeds by tributing his own loony industry.
From Salon • Jul. 12, 2026
A lively march to the World Cup’s round of 16 reaches a familiar end versus an extra-motivated contender.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
The National Catholic Review said his "personal biography of bridge-building cultures and continents" could make him "a compelling contender for the church's top job".
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
In April, he seemed like a Cy Young contender with a 5-0 record and five scoreless starts.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
We needed Monica to hold on to the lead, but we knew it would be hard for her against Gregorio, who was a strong contender.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
