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Synonyms

participate

American

[pahr-tis-uh-peyt] / pɑrˈtɪs əˌpeɪt /

verb (used without object)

to take or have a part or share, as with others; partake; share (usually followed byin ).

to participate in profits;
to participate in a play.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to take or have a part or share in; partake in; share.

participate British

/ pɑːˈtɪsɪˌpeɪt /

verb

to take part, be or become actively involved, or share (in)

"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

Synonym Usage

See share ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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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.

Now, adults ages 18 to 64 without dependents who are able to work must work at least 20 hours a week or participate in a job program.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Above $440 or so, investors fully participate in the upside in Alphabet stock.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

None of that diminishes anything for each of the 1,248 players who will participate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

In fact, even institutional investors often need to participate in ho-hum deals to get access to the sizzling ones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

He wanted to know more, but for that to happen, he would actually have to participate in it.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023