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.

The Green candidate Sarah Wakefield says she wants to offer more "hope" and "better solutions" to voters in Makerfield.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Given all the doubts around Adobe, it’s perhaps surprising that the company will likely go with an internal candidate to replace outgoing CEO Shantanu Narayen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Just because a voter cast a ballot for a Democrat or Republican in the primary doesn’t mean they will back another candidate of the same party or partisan alignment in the general, experts said.

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

Two days later, backup Irina and first candidate Valentina suited up in full gear, an orange pressurized spacesuit and helmet.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

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

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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!