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.

A Labour MP has stood down, allowing the Greater Manchester mayor to put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate.

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

An MVP candidate has come of age on the biggest stage, delivering numbers, highlights, and importantly, attitude, and putting the rest of the league on permanent notice.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Despite this, Burnham was the only leadership candidate to serve in Corbyn's shadow cabinet, as shadow home secretary.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

If a candidate does not have the professional experience listed above, he or she must have at least 1,000 pilot-in-command hours in a jet aircraft.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson

Vocabulary lists containing candidate

Election Lingo

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Electoral Elocution: The Verbiage of Voting

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

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!