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.

He won the seat by 5,399 votes at the last election, with Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon coming in second.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Burnham's supporters have been quick to badge him a "unity" candidate.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

A flyer featuring a pink background was the top Instagram post on California state superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw’s page on Saturday morning.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Colombia’s rally also has to do with its upcoming elections External link, and investors’ anticipation that a more markets-forward candidate might win.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

I was a wife and not a candidate, obviously, so perhaps the expectation was for me to provide more lightness, more fluff.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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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