participant

noun

par·​tic·​i·​pant pär-ˈti-sə-pənt 

pər-

: one that participates

participants in a contest

participant adjective

Synonyms of participant

• participator
• player

Examples of participant in a Sentence

he seemed to be a willing participant in the prank

Recent Examples on the Web

There were participants in our cohort who remained rightfully critical of our utopian aims, our spectrum of privilege, and our position as cultural workers living through global extinction, famine, corruption, and violence in all its forms. —Catherine Taft, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026

In the Young Entrepreneurs Zone, participants ages 14 to 23 competed for free business coaching and mentorship from business development company Pure Radiance. —Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026

The results of these pilots suggest that providing individuals, usually low-income ones, with a series of consistent payments results in greater spending on basic needs and spending on others, with participants continuing to hold jobs. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026

Notre Dame held an alumni baseball game, where former major leaguers Brendan Ryan and Brett Hayes were among the participants. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

participant

noun

par·​tic·​i·​pant pər-ˈtis-ə-pənt 

pär-

: one that participates