participation

noun

par·​tic·​i·​pa·​tion (ˌ)pär-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce participation (audio)
pər-
Synonyms of participationnext
: the act of participating

Examples of participation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The service cost will be bundled into standard utility billing, though customer participation in sorting recyclables remains voluntary. — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 Over time, the company has aggregated a combination of destinations, tournaments, leagues and camps, illustrating how physical facilities can anchor a broader participation business rather than function simply as real-estate assets. — Chris Russo, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2026 Told without the participation of a single male actor, The Women turned Hollywood’s all-boys club on its head, becoming a major hit in a year dominated by Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 Midterms do not attract the same level of voter participation or voter interest as presidential elections. — Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for participation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of participation was in the 14th century

Rhymes for participation

See All Rhymes for participation

Browse Nearby Words

participating stock
participation
participational
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Participation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/participation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Legal Definition

participation

noun
par·​tic·​i·​pa·​tion
1
: the action or state of taking part in something: as
a
: association with others in a relationship (as a partnership) or an enterprise usually on a formal basis with specified rights and obligations
a loan made directly or in participation with a bank
b
: profit sharing
2
a
: something in which shares are taken by more than one party
b
: something that results in a share (as of a distribution)

More from Merriam-Webster on participation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for participation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about participation

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All