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"candidate" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often nominee (7 letters).
Definitions
a politician who is running for public office
Word origin
From Latin candidātus (“a person who is standing for public office”, noun), from candidus (“dazzling white, shining, clear”) + -ātus, -āta, -ātum (participial adjective-forming suffix), in reference to Roman candidates wearing bleached white togas as a symbol of purity at a public forum. By surface analysis, candid + -ate (noun-forming suffix).
Used in a sentence
“Smith announced he was the party's candidate for the next election.”
“All candidates who miss the deadline or make a spelling mistake in their applications are automatically rejected.”
“Candidates must remain silent for the entirety of the exam.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer5 curated clues
01“one standing for office”9 letters
02“Applicant for a role”9 letters
03“One on a ballot”9 letters
04“One running for office”9 letters
05“One seeking a position”9 letters
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