candidate

[kan-di-deyt, -dit, kan-di-deyt] / ˈkæn dɪˌdeɪt, -dɪt, ˈkæn dɪˌdeɪt /

NOUN

person desiring political office, job

Synonyms

STRONGEST

applicant aspirant bidder competitor contender contestant nominee successor

STRONG

claimant entrant hopeful petitioner possibility pothunter runner seeker stumper suitor write-in

WEAK

dark horse favorite son handshaker job-hunter office seeker possible choice solicitant whistle-stopper

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.

Doncic, a leading candidate for most valuable player and a lock for his sixth All-NBA team, played in only 64 games before he suffered a regular-season ending left hamstring injury on April 2.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

A headhunter has identified you as a strong candidate for a job opening.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Reform has also selected a candidate who has already demonstrated they have support in the area - Conrad Ritchie took 25.9% of first-preference votes in a council by-election in Fraserburgh in November 2024.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

The valuation is incredibly cheap relative to the franchise—the stock trades at a single-digit earnings multiple—and Beacon itself would be a good acquisition candidate.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Even his opponents recognized that Harrison, despite his privileged roots, made an intensely appealing candidate for the city’s lesser tier.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Vocabulary lists containing candidate

Election Lingo

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Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting

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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!