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.

“U.K. political risk is set to stay live via candidate selection, polling, party dynamics and any clearer timetable for a potential transition away from Starmer,” said Patrick Munnelly, strategist at Tickmill Group in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

On Thursday, Simons announced his intention to give up his seat in the Commons, allowing the Greater Manchester mayor to put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

In a post on social media, he appeared to support allowing Burnham to stand as the party's candidate in the Makerfield by-election, saying he had "the best chance of winning".

From BBC • May 15, 2026

The clip from the Porter-Granholm call was the second unflattering video of the candidate to surface last fall.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Dasch thought Haupt was a good candidate for the mission.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

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!