applicant

noun

ap·​pli·​cant ˈa-pli-kənt 

: one who applies

a job applicant

Synonyms

• candidate

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

Newsom said in a statement that the bill sought to clarify that California’s educational institutions may consider providing a preference in admission to an applicant who was a descendant of a slave, which was not needed. —Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Then applicants are required to go through an orientation period, including homebuyer education and a financial readiness assessment, and apply through an official link. —Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025

In a rare example of agency for a beneficiary community, 21 emerging Indigenous leaders recently crafted selection criteria, evaluated applicants and picked two dozen finalists to split a pool of $720,000. —Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025

The program’s new emphasis on higher wage earners, who will receive more slots in the visa lottery compared to recent college graduates, will favor older, more experienced applicants, said Ben Johnston, COO of Kapitus, a small business lender. —Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025

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

Kids Definition

applicant

noun

ap·​pli·​cant ˈap-li-kənt 

: one who applies for something

an applicant for work