applicant

noun

ap·​pli·​cant ˈa-pli-kənt 

: one who applies

a job applicant

Synonyms of applicant

• 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

According to ZipRecruiter, companies that use Invite to Apply receive eight times as many quality applicants. —Audrey Payne, CNBC, 29 May 2026

The share of employers who screen applicants for GPA dropped from 73% in 2019 to 37% in 2023 and remains low, NACE surveys show. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 29 May 2026

Revealed during a gala dinner at Milan’s Fabbrica del Vapore on Thursday night, the winners were selected by a committee from among 11 finalists, shortlisted from 80 applicants. —Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 28 May 2026

The relatively bleak fortunes for young workers in jobs vulnerable to AI appeared to begin after the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT late in 2022, the Stanford researchers found, suggesting uptake of the popular chatbot may have hindered the job prospects of some applicants. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 May 2026

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