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
Every participant underwent advanced imaging designed to identify plaque in three major areas: the carotid arteries in the neck, the femoral arteries in the legs and the coronary arteries supplying the heart.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 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
In addition to being a practicing physician, he had been one of the founders of the Youth League, an active participant in the Defiance Campaign, and the treasurer of the ANC.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
After seven days of using the Hinoki oil, participants showed increased delta wave activity around the time they were falling asleep.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Wembanyama combined his work with Provence with hosting his Hoop Gambit event, in which participants play games of chess and basketball, in his hometown of Le Chesnay.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Inside a dimly lit room, participants slept with monitors attached to their heads, some cradling stuffed toys in their beds.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
A group of participants sued, arguing that the allocation lagged plainer stock and bond funds while charging higher fees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Some 300 participants and organizers gathered in the ornate ballroom of the Washington Duke Hotel, the sixteen-story fading dowager of Durham’s glory days, to celebrate the completion of their work.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
