contender

noun

con·​tend·​er kən-ˈten-dər How to pronounce contender (audio)
Synonyms of contendernext
: one that contends
especially : a competitor for a championship or high honor
a heavyweight title contender
the leading presidential contenders

Synonyms of contender

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The dueling leadoff home runs between the top two National League MVP contenders were just the beginning of the fireworks in the Cubs’ 7-6 victory to sweep the Dodgers. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026 There's also a pivotal clash in the women's flyweight division as former champion Alexa Grasso tangles with top contender Manon Fiorot. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 The announcement comes amid speculation about potential 2028 presidential contenders on the Republican side. — Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 GlassesUSA GlassesUSA is another top contender in the online eyewear market. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contender

Word History

Etymology

contend + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contender was in 1547

Rhymes for contender

See All Rhymes for contender

Browse Nearby Words

contend
contender
contend with
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contender. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on contender

Nglish: Translation of contender for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All