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.

Everyone in Hungary’s democratic resistance, regardless of ideology, united behind Péter Magyar, a charismatic candidate who only left Orbán’s nationalist party two years ago.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

"Even though the material itself isn't magnetic, the existence of chiral phonons gives us these magnetic levers to pull on," said Rikard Bodin, doctoral candidate at the U and co-author of the paper.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

“California has been a rich goldmine for many a candidate and continues to be that,” said Michael Beckel, director of money in politics reform at Issue One, a bipartisan advocacy group.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Dumbarton is one of three seats which has had the same MSP since 1999 - and in all three, the same candidate is seeking to continue that streak.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Democratic “dark horse” candidate, Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, had won election that past November.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Vocabulary lists containing candidate

Election Lingo

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!