participate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
participates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
participated,
past participle, past
-
participating
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
participates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
participated,
past participle, past
-
participating
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See share 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
participationnoun
-
participatornoun
-
participantadjective
-
participativeadjective
-
participatoryadjective
-
unparticipatedadjective
-
unparticipatingadjective
-
unparticipativeadjective
-
participatinglyadverb
-
participativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
participatesimple
-
participatessimple
-
have participatedperfect
-
has participatedperfect
-
am participatingprogressive
-
are participatingprogressive
-
is participatingprogressive
-
have been participatingperfect progressive
-
has been participatingperfect progressive
Past
-
participatedsimple
-
had participatedperfect
-
was participatingprogressive
-
were participatingprogressive
-
had been participatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of participate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin participātus “shared,” past participle of participāre “to share,” equivalent to particip- (stem of particeps ) “taking part, partner” ( see participle) + -āre, verb suffix
Explanation
If you take part in an activity or organization, you participate in it. For example, you participate in a conversation by listening to and talking with others, or you participate in a sport by joining a team and taking part in practices and games. You can use the verb participate to mean "be involved in" or "share in." Sometimes it is easy to figure out who participates in something — the runners in a race, the people waiting their turn to audition for a part in a play. Sometimes it isn't so obvious. If two students cause trouble but the teacher punishes the whole class, it might be that in not stopping the troublemakers, she views everyone as having participated — just being there means they were involved.
Vocabulary lists containing participate
On Your Mark, Get Set, Commence Your Life!
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Résumé of Active Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
In the past, American troops were mobilised from Okinawa to participate in conflicts such as the 1990 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, did not participate in the conference debate or vote on the motion.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Katz said she no longer wanted to participate in meetings if she had to censor herself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
“If it turns out Intel does not participate, or is only one fab technology provider, investors may reconsider the credit they gave Intel,” Luria said in emailed comments.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Amelia glances at me, but she doesn’t apologize for starting our day with an activity I can’t participate in.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
It is one of the few public accountability mechanisms that the Fed participates in where the focus is mostly on monetary policy.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
Real name Jon Harvey, Count Binface is a comedian and author who often participates in elections and by-elections always in a silver dustbin costume.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
The International Carbon Action Partnership is a forum that includes the European Commission as a member, and Ukraine participates as an observer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Any expulsion would require a two-thirds majority vote, or 290 of 435 votes if every House member participates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
Miss Larsen rarely participates; she is busy in the evenings creating lesson plans and studying.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
The fact that so few stocks have meaningfully participated in the rally over roughly the past six weeks has been frustrating for some investors, Mayfield said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Scientists from the laboratories of Alex K. Shalek, director of MIT's Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, and Matthew Vander Heiden, director of the Koch Institute, also participated in the work.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
The Japan fund has recently participated in a $15 million fundraising by Heartbeats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
The National Parks Service thanked the 16 bears who "involuntarily participated" in the competition, now in its thirteenth year.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
At twenty-four he had already won dozens of prestigious tournaments, and had participated in Wimbledon and the U.S.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
There are so many ethical dilemmas in high school sports that earning a teaching credential or gaining life experiences from participating in sports won’t always provide a clear path on how to proceed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
But here’s a thought: Maybe the problem is not with Tennessee law but instead with the ethical standards that keep reputable medical professionals from participating in executions.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
DHS declined to release those figures for any of the participating agencies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
The company intends to “gradually expand access” after voluntarily participating in a government program that has cybersecurity experts vet models before their official release.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
The only person not participating in the game was Nico di Angelo, “Pluto’s ambassador,” who had climbed an observation tower about a hundred yards from the fort and would be watching with binoculars.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
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.
