walk-on

American  

[wawk-on, -awn] / ˈwɔkˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

noun

1. Also called walking part. a small part in a play or other entertainment, especially one without speaking lines.

2. an entertainer or actor who plays such a part.

3. an athlete trying out for a team who has not been drafted, specifically invited, scouted, awarded a scholarship, etc.

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walk-on British  

noun

1. 1. a small part in a play or theatrical entertainment, esp one without any lines

   2. ( as modifier )

      a walk-on part

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adjective

1. (of an aircraft or air service) having seats to be booked immediately before departure rather than in advance

Etymology

Origin of walk-on

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase walk on

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

walk-on

One kicker at a Power Four school who started his career as a walk-on said his outside coach gave him a sense of what kickers at other schools were making.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

Oliver made it clear that he was not interested in a brief walk-on playing himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

How it happened is a tale of speculation, the oil panic and the rotating winners from artificial intelligence, with a walk-on part for the weird way indexes work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

After years of learning the techniques of a long snapper, Olson earned a first-string spot at the position for Orange Lutheran and joined the Trojans in 2015 as a walk-on player.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

Louis the Goon Engel was a mere walk-on in the piece, a spear-carrier doomed to death.

From Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942 by Various

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Related Words

• artist
• character
• clown
• comedian
• entertainer
• performer
• player
• star
• villain

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