participate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
Synonym Usage
See share 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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participationnoun
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participatornoun
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participantadjective
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participativeadjective
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participatoryadjective
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unparticipatedadjective
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unparticipatingadjective
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unparticipativeadjective
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participatinglyadverb
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participativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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participatesimple
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participatessimple
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have participatedperfect
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has participatedperfect
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am participatingprogressive
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are participatingprogressive
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is participatingprogressive
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have been participatingperfect progressive
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has been participatingperfect progressive
Past
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participatedsimple
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had participatedperfect
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was participatingprogressive
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were participatingprogressive
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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!
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Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)
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A Résumé of Active Words
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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:
"If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The consulting work allows him to participate in the company’s retirement plan.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
"It's been really exciting to participate in this project," MSU Physics and Astronomy Professor Mark Voit said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
“There’s safeguards and laws in place to protect the freedom to vote,” Fisher said, “and voters should tune out the noise and continue to participate in our democracy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Many westerners believed that the pioneering women who had moved west and endured significant hardship now deserved the right to participate in government through the vote.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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
However, they also agreed with Cipollone that tobacco liability cases do not get blanket federal preemption, especially if industry participates in fraud or other deceptive practices independent of a warning label.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
One company betting on that shift is InnovAge, which participates in PACE, a federal program designed to keep frail seniors in their communities rather than in institutions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
In contrast, programs like Social Security, in which everyone participates and receives benefits, are the most reliable way to ensure income for those with low earnings.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 10, 2026
Miss Larsen rarely participates; she is busy in the evenings creating lesson plans and studying.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Graham Zusi, who played for the U.S. men’s national team between 2012 and 2017, participated in the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony as a 7-year-old.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
All the teams that participated and left with memories of being a part of the World Cup experience will also leave with a tax bill of some sort, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
Henry and I talked about Othelyn, how she participated in the Civil Rights Movement at a young age and was beloved by those who knew her.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
The other 12, apart from Balogun, have served a suspension for at least the next World Cup game their country participated in.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
It is not known whether Bobby, on or near his thirteenth birthday of March 9, 1956, participated in the formal Jewish ritual of Bar Mitzvah, reading Hebrew from the Torah at a synagogue.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Ordinary people, not trained in historical or legal research, have little hope of participating in that exercise.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Sunderland were among the Premier League clubs with the highest number of players participating at the World Cup and it is no surprise given they secured European football last season.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The live trades will settle on either HyperLedger Besu, DTCC’s private blockchain, or Canton Network, a Wall Street-backed, privacy-focused blockchain, depending on which one the participating firms choose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Staying connected in the sport by participating in Biles’ “Gold Over America Tour” in 2021 and 2024, Ohashi would often joke of a comeback.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
We pass by the afternoon drills I’m supposed to be participating in.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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.
