participate
Americanverb (used without object)
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participates,
present (3rd person singular)
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participated,
past participle, past
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participating
present participle
verb (used with object)
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participates,
present (3rd person singular)
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participated,
past participle, past
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participating
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See share 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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participationnoun
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participatornoun
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participantadjective
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participativeadjective
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participatoryadjective
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unparticipatedadjective
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unparticipatingadjective
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unparticipativeadjective
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participatinglyadverb
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participativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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participatesimple
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participatessimple
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have participatedperfect
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has participatedperfect
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am participatingprogressive
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are participatingprogressive
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is participatingprogressive
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have been participatingperfect progressive
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has been participatingperfect progressive
Past
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participatedsimple
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had participatedperfect
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was participatingprogressive
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were participatingprogressive
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had been participatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of participate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin participātus “shared,” past participle of participāre “to share,” equivalent to particip- (stem of particeps ) “taking part, partner” ( see participle) + -āre, verb suffix
Explanation
If you take part in an activity or organization, you participate in it. For example, you participate in a conversation by listening to and talking with others, or you participate in a sport by joining a team and taking part in practices and games. You can use the verb participate to mean "be involved in" or "share in." Sometimes it is easy to figure out who participates in something — the runners in a race, the people waiting their turn to audition for a part in a play. Sometimes it isn't so obvious. If two students cause trouble but the teacher punishes the whole class, it might be that in not stopping the troublemakers, she views everyone as having participated — just being there means they were involved.
Vocabulary lists containing participate
On Your Mark, Get Set, Commence Your Life!
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Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)
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A Résumé of Active Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Owners who participate provide extensive information about their dogs' lives, while a subset also submit biological samples each year.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026
He is due to take an oath before the Norwegian parliament on Tuesday and will later participate in a consecration service - a stripped-down version of a corronation, which Norway no longer has.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Student broadcasters will participate in the event that will feature an all-women officiating crew.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Through a “linkage agreement,” California and Quebec let indulgences move across borders, and participate together in WCI’s quarterly allowance auctions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
“I invite you to take this seriously, Gabe, and to take yourself and your feelings seriously. It’s a powerful thing to participate in a panel.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
It is one of the few public accountability mechanisms that the Fed participates in where the focus is mostly on monetary policy.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
Real name Jon Harvey, Count Binface is a comedian and author who often participates in elections and by-elections always in a silver dustbin costume.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
However, they also agreed with Cipollone that tobacco liability cases do not get blanket federal preemption, especially if industry participates in fraud or other deceptive practices independent of a warning label.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Paylor’s firm seldom participates in closed-end fund IPOs but is this time around.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
She was the type of girl who participates, and Rowan was the kind of kid who avoids.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Though the influx of agents eventually left Minnesota, taking their horrific behavior elsewhere, state officials have been busy attempting to pursue accountability, filing numerous cases against the federal officers who participated in the raids.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
At the institute, Wright participated in a work-study program — mopping floors, answering phones and interviewing other acting hopefuls to see if they had what it took to make it in the program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
The ongoing investigation is looking into who participated in the spying and assessing the culpability of those who knew it was happening.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The carrier and its embarked aircraft were instrumental to the U.S.’s Operation Epic Fury bombing campaign, and the ship has since participated in the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Skull-rapping and elbow-thumping became a practice in which everybody in the family, except Mother, participated until Dad deemed our table manners satisfactory.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Researchers examined three types of preschool environments that children attended before entering elementary school: public school pre-K, center-based daycare programs, and home-based childcare providers participating in the Early Learning Coalition.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
It also provided support and specialised training for money-laundering investigations with the participating countries.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
It quickly built a loyal following of customers in the United States and elsewhere, with many participating in a trend of posting videos of their "Shein haul" of new clothes online.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Mitchell, who ended up becoming friends with Spooner after participating in the documentary, said he is “very happy” that Spooner “came out vindicated” in the legal struggle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The guys animate their answers with fist pumping and jumped-up bro hugs and take-thats and all manner of behaviors that make it seem like we’re participating in football practice and not a dry Quiz Bowl.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
