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

The main opposition The Democrats party is not fielding a candidate as its leader, Renaud Agbodjo, failed to secure the required number of parliamentary endorsements needed to contest the vote.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 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

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

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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!