applicant

American  

[ap-li-kuhnt] / ˈæp lɪ kənt /

noun

• applicants
  plural

1. a person who applies for or requests something; a candidate.

   an applicant for a position.

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applicant British  

/ ˈæplɪkənt /

noun

1. a person who applies, as for a job, grant, support, etc; candidate

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• applicants
  plural

Etymology

Origin of applicant

First recorded in 1475–85, applicant is from the Latin word applicant- (stem of applicāns applying, present participle of applicāre ). See apply, -ant

Explanation

An applicant is someone who signs up or applies for something. A job applicant for example, often fills out a form and then interviews for the position she hopes to get. When you submit your college application to a school you'd like to attend, you are an applicant to that school. Other kinds of applicants are job candidates and scholarship hopefuls. To apply is to put in for or request entry to something, and the root of both apply and applicant is the Old French aploiier, "apply, use, or attach," from the Latin applicare, "attach to, join, or connect."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

applicant applicants

First, the applicant pool all but stopped growing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

However, applicant Mr L Shephard told the BBC he disputed the area was a greenfield site.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

But such documents can help when it’s a more senior job, a niche role or a role likely to have a smaller applicant pool, she added.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

Ask any job applicant or manager about the hiring process today, and he or she will probably say the same thing: It’s pretty much a crapshoot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

The guide notes that agency ratings and funding are tied to whether they are “adopting and implementing effective applicant screening,” a clear signal that agencies may be penalized for not cleaning house.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

After at least a dozen applicants collapsed and died during the run, possibly from the heat, the government temporarily suspended the tests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

The government requires applicants to spend at least two weeks in Portugal for the first two years of their residency visa.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Altomare said students with private Italian sponsors are also not being evacuated, questioning the rationale for rejecting such applicants.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

The threshold is higher in Louisiana and some other states, where applicants are required to prove they are innocent by “clear and convincing” evidence.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026

“Okay, Zuri. About ten other prospective applicants will join us for a brief tour, and you can learn about Howard University,” Sage says.

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

Related Words

• aspirant
• candidate
• claimant
• seeker