What does participate mean?
Participate means to take part in an activity, event, process, or discussion, and it can also suggest sharing in an activity or its results. It is used in formal and informal contexts, though it is especially common in academic, civic, professional, and educational writing. The standard pattern is “participate in,” as in “students participate in the experiment,” although the preposition is often omitted when the meaning is clear. Participate can imply more than simply being present: it often conveys engagement, contribution, or cooperation. The word comes from Latin and originally carried the idea of sharing or having a part. Related words include participant, participation, and participatory.
verbTo take part in an activity, event, process, or discussion. It can also mean to share in an activity or outcome.
- To take part in an activity, event, process, or discussion.
- To share or have a share in an activity, outcome, or responsibility.
"She participated in the community discussion and listened carefully to the different viewpoints."
"Students from several countries participated in the exchange program."
"The community will participate in deciding how the funds are used."
Participate comes from a Latin word meaning “to share,” so the word’s basic idea is not merely being present but taking a share in something.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does participate come from?
Participate entered English through French from Latin participare, meaning “to share” or “to take part.” The Latin verb was related to pars, meaning “part,” and ultimately to the idea of receiving or taking a share. English later developed the familiar sense of joining an activity, discussion, or process, as well as the more abstract sense of sharing in an outcome or responsibility.
Related word forms
How participate is actually used
Participate is formal but widely used in British and American English. The usual construction is “participate in”; “participate” without an object is common in phrases such as “everyone is invited to participate.” The related adjective “participatory” emphasizes active involvement, while “participative” is also used but is somewhat less common.
Easily confused with participate
No distinction is needed: the headword is the standard spelling and pronunciation of this verb.