participate

verb

par·​tic·​i·​pate pär-ˈti-sə-ˌpāt 

pər-

participated; participating

transitive verb

archaic : partake

intransitive verb

1

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

… the individual man participates in the ideal man …

—Frank Thilly

2

a

: to take part

always participates in class discussions

b

: to have a part or share in something

Your mother participates in this ambition …

—Edith Wharton

participator

pär-ˈti-sə-ˌpā-tər 

pər-

noun

Synonyms of participate

• share
• know

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

Bass, Raman, Huang and Miller are scheduled to participate. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Related Stories Domingo will participate in a Q&A with Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 6 May 2026

Yet the cost of participating in that economy—of maintaining stability and building opportunity—has risen even faster for many households. —Gene Ludwig, Fortune, 6 May 2026

And Canada — whose prime minister in Davos this year issued an urgent call for middle powers to band together — has grown closer to Brussels, recently winning concessions for Canadian firms to participate in EU procurement. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 6 May 2026

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

Rhymes for participate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

participate

verb

par·​tic·​i·​pate pər-ˈtis-ə-ˌpāt 

pär-

participated; participating

: to take part or have a share in something in common with others

participate in sports

participation

-ˌtis-ə-ˈpā-shən

noun

participator

-ˈtis-ə-ˌpāt-ər 

noun