a deserving contender

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a deserving contender" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that is worthy of consideration or recognition in a competitive context, such as a competition or award. Example: "After months of hard work and dedication, she proved to be a deserving contender for the scholarship."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Ice dance has never been represented in the awards before and Vertical Influences is a deserving contender, a work that not only reinvents its own genre, but plays with choreographic possibilities that I'd never imagined on or off ice.

The Guardian

I'll be rooting for some favorites: the War on Drugs's "A Deeper Understanding," which was nominated for Best Rock Album; the R. & B. singer SZA, who's up for five awards, including Best New Artist and Best R. & B. song; and the National's "Sleep Well Beast," a deserving contender for Best Alternative-Music AlBest Alternative-Music

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I'm not implying that "Bass" is a better or more deserving contender than the other four nominees because of this.

Huffington Post

Another deserving contender is the Indian superstar Rajinikanth, who dominates the search results for "stylised acting" in YouTube.

The Guardian - Film

Also, the presence of 10 truly deserving contenders on the shortlist validates the award itself, and while some might contend that an institution now over half a century old is in no need of validation, it is a personal view that occasionally down the years it has been little more than a nonsense, scarcely worthy of the reverence it routinely receives.

Independent

Ruby Dee won the Screen Actors Guild award, and the Bagger almost picked her, but many endlessly deserving contenders have watched someone else walk up the aisle, and that may be Ms. Dee's lot.

The New York Times

Theatrical as well as emotional nakedness may explain why "Blackbird," a bare-bones drama by a largely unheralded 40-year-old Scottish playwright, stole this year's Laurence Olivier Award for best new play in London from flashy and deserving contenders by big-name writers, like Tom Stoppard's "Rock 'n' Roll" and Peter Morgan's "Frost/Nixon".

The New York Times

Grey-Thompson does not believe that any sport or gender should appear on the shortlist for the sake of it, but does feel that there are deserving contenders who have been overlooked.

BBC

Coming into the nominations, the lead actor race was crowded and competitive enough to leave out several deserving contenders, including Robert Redford ("All Is Lost"), Tom Hanks ("Captain Phillips and Joaquinin Phoenix ("Her").

Los Angeles Times

Analysis: This is the deepest of all the Emmy acting categories, and come nomination morning, there will be plenty of reasonable cries of "snubbed" surrounding deserving contenders such as Caplan, Russell, Farmiga and Maslany.

Los Angeles Times

Bruhl is a deserved Oscar contender for his part (in the Best Supporting Actor category, because lol), but Hemsworth kind of rocks in this one.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a deserving contender", ensure the context clearly establishes the competition or selection process the contender is involved in. Providing specific examples of their merit strengthens the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "a deserving contender" in casual conversations or informal writing. It's better suited for formal analyses, news reports, or professional evaluations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a deserving contender" functions as a noun phrase, where 'deserving' modifies 'contender', indicating someone or something worthy of consideration in a competition. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a deserving contender" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, that describes someone or something worthy of consideration in a competitive context. While its occurrence is relatively rare, it's primarily found in news and media sources. Alternatives like "a worthy competitor" or "a qualified candidate" can be used depending on the specific nuance desired. It's best suited for formal contexts where evaluating merit is important.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a deserving candidate

Synonymous with "a deserving contender", emphasizing the individual's merit for a role or position

a worthy competitor

Replaces "deserving" with "worthy" and "contender" with "competitor", emphasizing the individual's merit in a competition.

a worthy nominee

Specifically used in the context of nominations, implying suitability for an award or recognition.

a qualified candidate

Focuses on the possession of necessary qualifications for a role or position.

a legitimate prospect

Highlights the genuineness and potential of the individual or entity.

a commendable applicant

Highlights the praiseworthy qualities of someone applying for something.

a strong possibility

Shifts the focus to the likelihood of success or selection, rather than inherent worthiness.

a credible aspirant

Highlights the believability and ambition of the individual or entity.

a rightful claimant

Indicates that someone has a just claim or entitlement to something.

an eligible participant

Emphasizes meeting the requirements to take part in something.

FAQs

How can I use "a deserving contender" in a sentence?

You can use "a deserving contender" to describe someone or something worthy of consideration or recognition in a competitive context. For example: "Vertical Influences is "a deserving contender" for the National Dance Awards".

What are some alternatives to "a deserving contender"?

Alternatives include "a worthy competitor", "a qualified candidate", or "a legitimate prospect", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "deserving contender" or "worthy contender"?

Both "deserving contender" and "worthy contender" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice depends on stylistic preference, although "deserving" might imply a stronger sense of earned merit.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a deserving contender"?

It's appropriate to use "a deserving contender" in formal settings or when evaluating someone's qualifications or chances in a competition, election, or selection process.