# challenger

/ˈtʃæɫəndʒɝ/ (US) · /tʃˈælɪndʒɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/challenger
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a competitor

noun · CEFR B2

someone who competes against a champion or a leader to win their title or position.

For teachers: a person or team that competes against a titleholder or incumbent in a contest or election.

- The young boxer is the first serious challenger the champion has faced in years.
- The political newcomer emerged as a formidable challenger to the long-standing mayor, gaining significant ground in the recent polls.

### 2. one who disputes

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who questions or disagrees with an idea, a rule, or a statement.

For teachers: an individual who formally or informally disputes the validity, legality, or truth of a claim or system.

- The legal challenger argued that the new law was unfair to small businesses.
- As a persistent challenger of established scientific theories, she spent her career gathering evidence that contradicted the mainstream consensus.

### 3. tennis tournament tier

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a professional tennis tournament that is one level below the top world tour.

For teachers: a series of professional tennis tournaments constituting the second-highest tier of the ATP circuit.

- He won three challenger titles this year before moving up to the main tour.
- Competing on the Challenger circuit is a grueling but necessary step for players aiming to break into the top one hundred world rankings.

### 4. the Space Shuttle

noun · CEFR B2

the name of a famous American space shuttle that was destroyed in an accident in 1986.

For teachers: the second orbiter of NASA's space shuttle program, which suffered a catastrophic failure shortly after launch in January 1986.

- The teacher showed us a video about the history of the Challenger mission.
- The Challenger disaster led to a significant hiatus in the American space program while safety protocols were completely overhauled.

## Examples

- The young boxer is a strong challenger for the world title.
- The mayor faces a tough challenger in the upcoming election who has strong support from local businesses.
- Political analysts suggest that while the incumbent remains popular, a credible challenger from the progressive wing could significantly shift the debate during the primary season.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.