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 insisted he was a nonpartisan candidate running on local issues.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

While trying to pick a vice-presidential candidate in 2024, Trump reportedly often mused: “Where is my Cary Grant?”

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Several years later, Saudi Arabia would win the right to host the 2034 World Cup as the only candidate in the running.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Phil Housley, whom Laviolette described as an “excellent coach,” could be another potential candidate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Doctors wanted to know how long it took a candidate to regain balance.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

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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