contender
/kənˈtendər/noun★Intermediate
formal
A person or thing competing with others for a prize, position, or recognition.
He entered the tournament as a strong contender.
He joined the tournament as a serious competitor.
The new smartphone is a serious contender in the market.
The new phone competes strongly with other models.
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Often paired with adjectives like 'top', 'strong', or 'serious' to indicate the level of competition.
Collocations
top contenderthe leading competitor in a competitionstrong contendera serious competitor with a good chance of winningserious contendera competitor considered likely to succeed
English Dictionary