participation

American

[pahr-tis-uh-pey-shuhn] / pɑrˌtɪs əˈpeɪ ʃən /

noun

an act or instance of participating.
the fact of taking part, as in some action or attempt.

participation in a celebration.
a sharing, as in benefits or profits.

participation in a pension plan.

adjective

of or relating to a venture characterized by more than one person, bank, or company participating in risk or profit.

a participation loan.

Other Word Forms

preparticipation noun
underparticipation noun

Etymology

Origin of participation

First recorded in 1325–75; from Late Latin participātiōn-, stem of participātiō; equivalent to participate + -ion; replacing Middle English participacioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin, as above

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.

I just knew I could not continue living a version of life that felt like survival instead of participation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Higher labor-force participation would actually be good news for the job market.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

"Having a well-funded, well-organized professional league in the United States is a good tailwind, a good boost for the sport, both in terms of participation and spectatorship," PingPod co-CEO David Silberman told AFP.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

He said that participation in a diving club also helped develop other vital life skills.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Sedulously, he had once avoided the clusters of boys who haunted the locker rooms with their salient, knowledgeable talk in which his finely honed sense of morality denied him participation.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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