What does "semifinalist" mean?

A person who competes in the semifinals, the winner of which goes on to compete in the finals.

What is a synonym for "semifinalist"?

Common synonyms include: competitor, contestant, participant.

Pronounced //ˌsɛmiˈfaɪnəlɪst//.

/ˌsɛmiˈfaɪnəlɪst/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A person who competes in the semifinals, the winner of which goes on to compete in the finals.
2
one of four competitors remaining in a tournament by elimination wordnet

From semi- + finalist or semifinal + -ist.