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.

Austin was also the Lib Dems' candidate in the Greater Manchester Mayoralty election in 2024.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Six defendants, including then-congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, were indicted on felony charges in October.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Now he’s attempting to transform himself again, into a credible candidate for public office.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Newsom -- who is widely expected to be a leading Democratic Party candidate in the 2028 presidential election -- said lightning fast developments in AI meant the entire employment system needed to be reimagined.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

It was no ordinary Sunday morning when presidential candidate Barack Obama stepped to the podium at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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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