Today's Word List to learn, remember and use!!

Contend(verb)

[COD] 

Someone who competes with other people to try to win something. For example,

Now aged 42, he is no longer considered a serious contender for the title.

[TFD]

To strive in opposition or against difficulties; Struggle. For example,

Armies contending for control of strategic territories;

I had to contend with long lines at the airport;

[Vocabulary.com]

Engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve something. 

For example, Baseball players, boxers, politicians: each is contender in that they compete or campaign to win something.

Contender has a slightly different meaning than competitor  often implying a more vigorous, even scrappier, sense of taking on every unexpected challenge.