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.

Though several of the lawmakers had not planned on backing either candidate, they’re reconsidering, driven by anger at Swalwell and frustration that other qualified women, Lt.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The selloff began after the Food and Drug Administration declined to approve Replimune’s immunotherapy candidate, RP1, in combination with Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo for the treatment of advanced melanoma.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Magyar’s team feared the tactic risked whipping up hostility toward the candidate now traveling with scant security.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance added to the chorus, saying on a podcast, “We need to release the Epstein list.”

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

“Yes,” Scythe Rand continued, “but clearly the competition has turned into camaraderie. How will we ever know which is the better candidate if they continue to aid each other?”

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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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