applicant

noun

ap·​pli·​cant ˈa-pli-kənt How to pronounce applicant (audio)
: one who applies
a job applicant

Examples of applicant in a Sentence

We interviewed 30 qualified applicants for the job. have numerous applicants for the job
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.
The graduates who do best are the ones who treat themselves as members of the community first and job applicants second. Marko Stokić, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 Roughly 500 universities consider legacy status when evaluating applicants, including more than half of the nation’s 100 most selective U.S. schools, according to 2023 disclosures to the federal government. Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025 Regular decision gives students the greatest flexibility but might give them a worse chance of getting in, since they will be compared with a larger applicant pool and early applicants may have already filled many spots, according to IvyWise, an educational consulting firm. Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025 In addition to dropping the Spanish-language training, DHS announced in August that ICE would lower the minimum applicant age from 21 to 18 and remove the previous maximum age limit, which barred applicants over the age of 37 or 40. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for applicant

Word History

Etymology

applicate "to apply, put to use" (borrowed from Latin applicātus, past participle of applicāre "to bring into contact [with], situate near, bring to bear [on]") + -ant entry 1 — more at apply

First Known Use

circa 1742, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of applicant was circa 1742

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Applicant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/applicant. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

applicant

noun
ap·​pli·​cant ˈap-li-kənt How to pronounce applicant (audio)
: one who applies for something
an applicant for work

More from Merriam-Webster on applicant

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