勝者|しょうしゃshousha[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounwinner; victor
   群集ぐんしゅうは勝者しょうしゃに拍手はくしゅ喝采かっさいを送おくった。↗

   The crowd gave the winner a big hand.

• Synonym勝利者しょうりしゃWrittenWritten and formal; same meaning as 「勝者」 but more solemn, and it can broadly cover winners in life or competition. In everyday speech 「勝者」 is the usual choice.
• SynonymウイナーNeutralA loanword heard mostly in sports, horse racing and variety shows; formal writing prefers 「勝者」.
• Antonym敗者はいしゃNeutralThe side that loses a contest; the direct opposite of 「勝者」, and the two are often used as a pair.

For contests, say 「勝者」 for the winner and 「敗者」 for the loser. 「勝利者」 is a more solemn, written alternative that can also cover winners in life; 「ウイナー」 is a casual loanword for sports and entertainment. Default to 「勝者」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 勝負しょうぶなどにおいて勝利しょうりを収おさめた者もの。勝利者しょうりしゃ。