# applicant

/ˈæpɫɪkənt/ (US) · /ˈæplɪkənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/applicant
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. job or education

noun · CEFR B2

a person who formally asks for a job, a place in a school, or a loan.

For teachers: 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'.

### 2. legal petitioner

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a person who makes a formal request to a court or a government office.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The successful applicant starts work next Monday.
- Each applicant must submit a resume and three professional references before the Friday deadline.
- The selection committee reviewed every applicant against a rigorous set of criteria to ensure the final candidate possessed both the technical skills and the cultural fit required for the role.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.