walk-on

noun

ˈwȯk-ˌȯn 

-ˌän

1

: a minor part (as in a dramatic production)

also : an actor having such a part

2

: a college athlete who tries out for an athletic team without having been recruited or offered a scholarship

Examples of walk-on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The docuseries explores the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, from walk-on to the National Championship-winning USC football team to cocaine kingpin for one of the world’s most dangerous cartels. —Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 20 Sep. 2025

Koerner was a second-year walk-on safety when Moss came to Iowa in 2018. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025

Waymond Jordan, Eli Sanders and walk-on King Miller each scored against Missouri State and backup quarterback Husan Longstreet ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns. —Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025

In it, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning goes undercover in heavy prosthetics and a wig and dons the alias Chad Powers to try out as a walk-on quarterback for Penn State football. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for walk-on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon