participate

verb

par·tic·i·pate pär-ˈti-sə-ˌpāt

pər-

participated; participating

Synonyms of participate next

transitive verb

archaic : partake

intransitive verb

: to possess some of the attributes of a person, thing, or quality

the individual man participates in the ideal man—

Frank Thilly

: to take part

always participates in class discussions

: to have a part or share in something

Your mother participates in this ambition …—

Edith Wharton

participator

pär-ˈti-sə-ˌpā-tər

pər-

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for participate

share, participate, partake mean to have, get, or use in common with another or others.

share usually implies that one as the original holder grants to another the partial use, enjoyment, or possession of a thing.

shared my toys with the others

participate implies a having or taking part in an undertaking, activity, or discussion.

participated in sports

partake implies accepting or acquiring a share especially of food or drink.

partook freely of the refreshments

Examples of participate in a Sentence

Most people joined the game, but a few chose not to participate. eager to participate in the city's cultural life

Recent Examples on the Web Gerstenmaier and other space industry executives also participated in a US Senate hearing, which did not include FAA officials, calling for streamlined regulations and more FAA resources for issuing launch licenses. —

WIRED, 18 Nov. 2023 Nothing came of the investigation, and Charles participated fully. —

Stephanie Kaloi, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023 Friendly Feast bake sale features six AAPI chefs Six chefs from San Diego’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are participating in the 2023 Friendly Feast AAPI bake sale on Nov. 19. —

Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Nov. 2023 The filmmakers — Dwayne LeBlanc, Antonello Velez, and directing/writing duo Sarah Jean Williams and Luna Garcia — participated in a table read of their respective short films with the program’s mentor, Carlos López Estrada. —

Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023 Each round lasts about 15 minutes, and up to four players can participate at a time. —

Nor'adila Hepburn, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023 Since the pandemic, the nonprofit has shifted to a virtual model that allows teens from 18 countries to participate. —

Dua Anjum, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov. 2023 Räsänen questioned her church leadership for participating in a Helsinki pride event, posting a Scripture passage from the Book of Romans to underscore her ... To Read the Full Story For answers on how to use the Insticator commenting platform, please visit Insticator’s dedicated Help Center. —

Paul Coleman, National Review, 15 Nov. 2023 Should employees be allowed to participate in proliferating protests staged by both sides? —

Alan Murray, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'participate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin participatus, past participle of participare, from particip-, particeps participant, from part-, pars part + capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of participate was in 1531

See more words from the same year