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.

No, the opposition toward the candidate is viciously intense, shockingly manifold, and wide-ranging to the point of sounding almost existential.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

Right‑wing candidate Keiko Fujimori led exit polls after Peru's troubled presidential election on Sunday, as police raids and claims of fraud cast a shadow over a race now heading to a runoff.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

To overcome this limitation, the team incorporated vaccine candidate proteins into nanodiscs.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Staff members resigned, his fundraising website went offline and allies moved quickly to distance themselves from a candidate who had been gaining momentum as a front-runner in the race to lead the Golden State.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Everybody looked up to her, so when she made Emily her candidate too, Emily had a chance.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

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

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!