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applicant

American  
[ap-li-kuhnt] / ˈæp lɪ kənt /

noun

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

    an applicant for a position.
applicant British  
/ ˈæplɪkənt /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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.

On its rebuilding dashboard, the county reports that cases spend an average of 32 days in county review compared with 122 days waiting for applicant response.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Embassy in Bujumbura, Burundi, she watched anxiously as applicant after applicant left dejected.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

It added that having a health condition did not always mean an applicant would be rejected because of costs.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Those pictures require patience, time, and pain to conjure on the part of the applicant.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

No applicant will satisfy requirements, whatever his level of accomplishments otherwise, if seen to fall short in this respect.'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

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.