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.

As Gomberg and Hennessy dug deeper, they determined that some of the influencers promoting a candidate for governor weren’t even based in California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

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

From BBC • May 15, 2026

“U.K. political risk is set to stay live via candidate selection, polling, party dynamics and any clearer timetable for a potential transition away from Starmer,” said Patrick Munnelly, strategist at Tickmill Group in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Once more, Becerra was the focal point of attacks, befitting his newfound status as the candidate to beat.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

And in 1880, a battle broke out over who would be the Republican Party's presidential candidate.

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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