Contestants

kənˈtɛstənts

nounBeginnerCommonAcademic

Definitions

1

Individuals who participate in a competition or event.

kənˈtɛstənts

nounneutralBeginner
Academic

Participants in a competition.

The contestants prepared for weeks for the talent show.

💡 Simply: Imagine a game show, like *Jeopardy!*. The *contestants* are the people trying to win the game. They're competing for a prize, showing off their skills or knowledge!

👶 For kids: People who are trying to win a game or a contest.

More Examples

2

Only the best contestants will advance to the final round.

3

The judges were impressed by the contestants' creativity.

How It's Used

Sports

"The contestants in the marathon were exhausted after the race."

Gameshows

"The contestants answered trivia questions to win prizes."

Politics

"The presidential contestants debated the major issues."

From Middle English *contestant*, from Old French *contestant*, present participle of *contester* ('to dispute'), from Latin *contestari* ('to call to witness, contend').

The word has been used to describe participants in various competitions since the 15th century.

Memory tip

Think of the "contest" and the people IN it.

contestentscontestants'contestentcontestennts

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written