Word
applicant
Phoneticsap·pli·cant, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈæpɫɪkənt/
UK/ˈæplɪkənt/
Definitions
01job or education
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person who formally asks for a job, a place in a school, or a loan.
n. a person who submits a formal application for a position, admission, or financial assistance.
“The company received over two hundred applicants for the junior designer position.”
“The admissions committee reviewed each applicant's portfolio to ensure their technical skills met the university's rigorous entry requirements.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'for'.
02legal petitioner
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a person who makes a formal request to a court or a government office.
n. the party who brings a formal petition or request before a court or administrative body.
“The applicant requested a building permit to add a garage to his house.”
“The applicant sought a judicial review of the council's decision, citing a failure to follow proper consultative procedures.”
Usage
In legal contexts, this term often replaces 'plaintiff' depending on the type of court or action.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “applicant” in context.
Verb
01. reject an applicant
“It is never easy to reject an applicant who has put so much effort into their portfolio.”
verb + noun
02. screen applicants
“The HR department spent all morning screening applicants to find the best candidates.”
verb + noun
03. shortlist applicants
“We have shortlisted five applicants for the final round of interviews.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. internal applicant
“We encourage internal applicants from within the company to apply for the management role.”
adj + noun
05. prospective applicant
“The university is holding an open day for prospective applicants to tour the campus.”
adj + noun
06. successful applicant
“The successful applicant will be notified by email by the end of the week.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. applicant pool
“The company was impressed by the diversity and talent found in this year's applicant pool.”
noun + noun
08. number of applicants
“There has been a significant increase in the number of applicants for the nursing program.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The stronger competition has tipped record numbers of applicants into clearing, or settling for their second choices, with universities in some cases wanting students to defer for a year.” “Accepted applicants from China rose to 13,870 from 12,380 last year.” “In one case, an applicant claimed to have given several keynote addresses, while conference websites indicated that he had been only an ordinary conference speaker.” Etymology
From Latin applicans, present participle of applicare. See apply.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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