participant

noun

par·​tic·​i·​pant pär-ˈti-sə-pənt How to pronounce participant (audio)
pər-
Synonyms of participantnext
: one that participates
participants in a contest
participant adjective

Synonyms of participant

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of participant in a Sentence

he seemed to be a willing participant in the prank
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Misperception of these operations raises potential risk to both the United States and participants in the Program. — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026 As such, the study's primary endpoint will assess how participants feel after 12 months. — New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026 Researchers will study the participants' biological age markers, their levels of inflammation, cognitive function, strength and mobility. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 Being asked to keep Nielsen’s proprietary devices in their homes is nothing new for the company’s panel participants, but the push to wear listening wearables could strike some as a bit intrusive. — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for participant

Word History

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of participant was in 1543

Browse Nearby Words

participable
participant
participant observation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Participant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/participant. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

participant

noun
par·​tic·​i·​pant pər-ˈtis-ə-pənt How to pronounce participant (audio)
pär-
: one that participates

More from Merriam-Webster on participant

Nglish: Translation of participant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rigmarole

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All