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.

Bob Sanguinetti, the Port of Aberdeen's chief executive, wants the successful candidate to call for a more "robust and holistic energy strategy".

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

By contrast, Hilton presented himself as the “more cosmopolitan” candidate who “can talk to the hedge fund manager or the small-business owner or the Sacramento lobbyist,” said Klink said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

We need to be assured with specific examples of how a candidate will work to fix America for us: income disparity, job availability, affordability of living and retirement planning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Platner is expected to defeat Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who remains on the ballot despite suspending her campaign, along with lesser-known candidate David Costello.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Besides, I could not imagine her not supporting the candidate who wanted to aid the poor.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

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!