participant
Americannoun
-
participants
plural
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of participant
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin participant-, stem of participāns “sharing,” present participle of participāre “to share”; see participate
Explanation
A participant is a person who participates, or takes part in something. Vote on Election Day and you've just taken part in or become a participant in United States democracy. Participants play a role in the unfolding of events. A contestant is a participant on a game show. A football player is a participant in the sport. Someone talking is a participant in a conversation. You can sometimes be a participant without taking an active role — if you watch a crime taking place and do nothing to stop it, you might be called a passive participant.
Vocabulary lists containing participant
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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Workshop 6, Part 2
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"Journeys," Vocabulary from Lesson 13
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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:
"It was over in an instant. I almost wish I could have slept a little longer," participant Chisato Honda, 32, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
At the beginning of the experiment, each participant lay quietly while the researchers recorded one minute of baseline BS using an electronic stethoscope and advanced signal-processing software.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
Since the season started, Porter has been a limited participant in practices but was inactive in all three games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
But at least one participant in “The Swan” still believes in its promise.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2026
As the newly reigning United States Open Champion, and a participant in the Rosenwald the previous year, Bobby had anticipated getting this invitation for the 1957 tournament.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Women account for about 10% of participants across motorsport, and just 4% of elite drivers, according to campaign group More Than Equal.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Researchers reviewed evidence from 22 studies involving thousands of participants in Europe, Canada and the United States.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
In 2022, she launched what she termed an upscale vodka and champagne brand, American Dream, organizing a dinner for Mar-a-Lago guests that participants realized halfway through was an investment pitch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The show gives participants the opportunity to do whatever they want, within a five-minute time frame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Arguments over the location of novas and comets in the heavens thus continued even after 1610, after which date the traditional Ptolemaic system was abandoned by all competent participants.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
