People or teams competing for a prize, title, or position; serious competitors who have a reasonable chance of winning.
From Latin 'contendere' (to struggle against), composed of 'con-' (together) and 'tendere' (to stretch or struggle); first used in English around the 1500s.
The word 'contenders' has a ring of hope and struggle to it—it's often used to describe sports teams or athletes on the verge of greatness, capturing the tension between aspiration and achievement.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.