also-rans
Those who lost
Also-rans are competitors who finish behind the winners—originally racehorses that didn't place in the top three, now anyone who fails to achieve distinction in a contest.
The term implies mediocrity or irrelevance: The frontrunner dominated while the also-rans fought for scraps of attention.
In politics, also-rans are candidates who never gained traction.
Those finishing second
- beatenHaving lost a contest
- losersUnsuccessful competitors
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- eliminatedRemoved from consideration
outclassed · trounced · outplayed · outscored · trailing · unsuccessful · bridesmaids · consolation
Unlikely winners
- outsidersThose not belonging
- challengersThose who compete against
- hopefulsPeople seeking success
- aspirantsThose seeking advancement
contenders · scrappy · plucky · unfavored · disadvantaged · unlikely · improbable · fringe
No longer recalled
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
- neglectedNot given proper attention
- overshadowedSurpassed and diminished
- unnoticedNot perceived by anyone
undervalued · disregarded · unrecognized · sidelined · marginalized · eclipsed · dismissed · unappreciated
Those actively involved
- entrantsThose who join in
- contestantsCompetition participants
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- nomineesThose proposed for selection
field · roster · qualifiers · finalists · bidders · applicants · pretenders · pack
runners-up
Those finishing second
- beatenHaving lost a contest
- losersUnsuccessful competitors
- vanquishedDefeated completely
eliminated · outclassed · trounced · outplayed · outscored · trailing · unsuccessful · bridesmaids · consolation · lagging
longshots
Unlikely winners
- outsidersThose not belonging
- challengersThose who compete against
- hopefulsPeople seeking success
aspirants · contenders · scrappy · plucky · unfavored · disadvantaged · unlikely · improbable · fringe · peripheral
forgotten
No longer recalled
- ignoredPurposely not noticed
- neglectedNot given proper attention
- overshadowedSurpassed and diminished
unnoticed · undervalued · disregarded · unrecognized · sidelined · marginalized · eclipsed · dismissed · unappreciated · unacknowledged
participants
Those actively involved
- entrantsThose who join in
- contestantsCompetition participants
- candidatesThose seeking selection
nominees · field · roster · qualifiers · finalists · bidders · applicants · pretenders · pack · bunch
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- candidatescandidate, candidates, nominee, nominees, contender
- Nobodiesnobodies, nonentities, unknowns, zeroes, ciphers
- runner-upsrunners-up, silver medalists, second place
also-ranswinners
Those who prevail
victors · champions · frontrunners · gold medalists · titleholders
also-ransheadliners
Main acts at shows
stars · luminaries · big names · standouts · A-listers
also-ranselite
Superior select group
cream of the crop · best of the best · top dogs · top tier · heavyweights
racing, runs, ran, long shot, racers, racehorse, also-ran, nonstarter