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.

Platner is expected to defeat Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who remains on the ballot despite suspending her campaign, along with lesser-known candidate David Costello.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Given all the doubts around Adobe, it’s perhaps surprising that the company will likely go with an internal candidate to replace Narayen.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

In Falta, a constituency the TMC had won with 56% of the vote in 2021, the party failed even to keep a candidate in the fray for a repoll.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

But old guard candidate Xavier Becerra came out on top.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Besides Grant and Blaine, the other candidate seeking the nomination was John Sherman of Ohio, a former U.S. senator and the current secretary of treasury under President Hayes.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

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

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