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:
You are a participant in wealth creation, in the cash flows of businesses you own a piece of.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Yuval Raphael's song, New Day Will Rise, placed 15th with the contest's juries - but outperformed every other participant in the public vote, scoring 297 points.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Well, they came here legally,” said Sister Sally Duffy, a Sister of Charity and active participant in the network.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
“I believe in entrepreneurial freedom,” Bardella told the gathering, according to a participant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
“I’d like to take a moment,” Mr. Kingsley says, “to introduce a very special participant in our competition tonight. Her name is Melody Brooks.”
From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper
The difference came largely from changes in the types of foods participants were eating.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
That leaves unanswered a basic question as the government seeks to draw the private sector into offensive cyber operations: What benefits do participants gain?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The memorandum spells out extensive requirements for participants, including federal vetting, operational oversight, and steep financial penalties for rule violations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Of the participants, 52% were Hispanic, and the rest were non-Hispanic white.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
The spirit circles were resumed, and participants in both rooms heard tapping, “similar to the sounds heard in the telegraph office.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
