participatory
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or involving participation.
-
offering the opportunity for participation by members of the public.
Explanation
If something is participatory, it allows or requires you to participate, or join in. In high school, classes are participatory: they require you to join in by doing your homework and taking part in discussions. Education research shows that participatory lessons, or lessons in which the students participate in their own learning, are more effective than direct instruction. For example, a participatory activity in which students take a classroom poll of favorite fruits and analyze what percentages of the class like which kinds is much more likely to stick with them than a non-participatory lecture on percentage.
Vocabulary lists containing participatory
Content Summary 5.2: Effects of the Atlantic Revolutions
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!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 17–January 23, 2026
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!
The Modern Period, c. 1750 to c. 1914
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.
A statement from its foreign ministry urged "the government and people of Niger to work together towards an inclusive and participatory return to stability and constitutional order".
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
The Backrooms extend this logic into new and participatory territory.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
As part of its larger-than-life participatory art installations, Meow Wolf L.A. will feature a mix of live action and animation, the former filmed by Meow Wolf in its Santa Fe studio.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
They flocked to the theater with friends and family in tow, comparing the festive, participatory atmosphere to the phenomenon around the 2023 megahit “Barbie,” which also spurred viewers to don costumes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
These three stages of development: deconstruction of content, demystification of technology and finally do-it-yourself or participatory authorship are the three steps through which a programmed populace returns to autonomous thinking, action and collective self-determination.
From Open Source Democracy by Douglas Rushkoff
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.
