What does contestant mean?
Word: Contestant
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Contestant means a person who takes part in a competition, quiz or game and tries to win.
Synonyms: participant, player
How do you spell contestant?
Syllables: con - test - ant
Tricky part: The ending is -ant, not -ent: a contestant is a person, like a servant or an assistant. Most mistakes happen in those last three letters.
Watch out for: contestent, contestand, contestunt
Memory tip: A contestant is a busy little ant working hard to win, and the word ends with that ant.
Contestant in a sentence
Example 1: Each contestant on the quiz show had thirty seconds to answer.
Example 2: Priya was the youngest contestant in the district spelling bee.
Example 3: The contestants lined up at the start of the sack race.
Fun Fact
Contestant came into English in the 1600s from French, where the word is spelt exactly the same.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
ttanecsont
a) constant
b) contents
c) consultant
d) contestant
Show answer
d) contestant. Three t's sit in the jumble; constant and contents have only two, and consultant needs a u and an l.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) champion
b) audience
c) contastant
d) applause
Show answer
c) contastant. Contestant is built on contest, so the e of test stays.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
contestant
a) competitor
b) audience
c) organiser
d) referee
Show answer
a) competitor. A competitor also takes part to win; the others watch, judge or plan the event.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
contesstant
a) a
b) s
c) t
d) n
Show answer
b) s. Only one s is needed; the word has a single hiss sound in the middle.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is a contestant at a singing competition?
a) a child who sings to win
b) the person selling tickets
c) a parent in the audience
d) the sound engineer
Show answer
a) a child who sings to win
2. Which sentence uses contestant correctly?
a) Each contestant in the quiz got a buzzer.
b) He will contestant for school captain.
c) The race was very contestant today.
d) She contestant in the race last year.
Show answer
a) Each contestant in the quiz got a buzzer.
