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.

I know that being a candidate has rescued you from anonymity after your career in reality TV went off a cliff.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

Just four years later, he decided to primary Faircloth, entering the political arena as a candidate, rather than a donor, for the first time.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

The most promising candidate is a vaccine based off of one already approved for the Zaire strain, said Dr. Vasee Moorthy, a WHO official.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

They are as divided as ever about who to choose as candidate or candidates, and how to do so.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

When Garfield arrived in Chicago, he didn't expect to leave as the presidential candidate.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

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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