' Participate ' means to take part in an activity or event. It is often used in the context of volunteering, sports, and discussions. Participate definition: To be active or involved in something; take part. participate meaning, definition, what is participate : to take part in an activity or event: Learn more. Learn the meaning and usage of the verb participate , which means to be involved with others in doing something or taking part in an activity or event. See how to use participate with or without the preposition in different contexts and sentences.