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.

To become a candidate, Burnham would have to become an MP.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Then, the contest would go to a vote among some 300,000 Labour members and trade union representatives to choose a winner between Starmer and any other candidate who is nominated for the top job.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Despite this, Burnham was the only leadership candidate to serve in Corbyn's shadow cabinet, as shadow home secretary.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Cloobeck said he had launched his run because he could not find a single qualified candidate — until he endorsed Swalwell.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

A sunburnt, overgrown candidate for confirmation gazes at me in astonishment.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

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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