An applicant is a person who applies for a job, position, or opportunity. The term refers to someone who submits an application or candidacy for consideration, typically in a formal hiring or admissions process. In practice, “applicant” emphasizes the state of having applied rather than having been offered the role.
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- You often hinge on the initial /æ/ too tentatively, making AP-sound weak. Practice with a strong initial attack: /ˈæp/. - The middle syllable can blur into a quick /lə/; keep it /lɪ/ or a crisp /lə/ depending on tempo. - The final /tənt/ deserves a clear /t/ release; avoid truncating to /kən/ or /kənt without the plosive. - In rapid speech, you might drop the second syllable entirely; always articulate all three segments for clarity. - Don’t flatten the word to a single syllable; maintain the 3-syllable rhythm to signal formality and attention.
US: rhotic clarity is not a factor here since there is no /r/ in applicant; maintain a crisp final /t/. UK: slightly shorter, more clipped first vowel and less vowel reduction in the second syllable; AU: tends toward a slightly broader vowel in the first syllable and a relaxed final consonant. Across all: keep /ˈæp/ primary stress, a clear /lɪ/ or /lə/ in the middle, and a final /ənt/. IPA references: US /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/, UK /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/, AU /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/. Focus on three-syllable rhythm and a hard final /t/ in careful speech.
"The company received hundreds of applicants for the software engineering position."
"She handed in her resume and cover letter as an applicant for the internship."
"Only qualified applicants will be invited to interview."
"The panel reviewed each applicant’s credentials before making a decision."
Applicant comes from the verb apply, formed in the late Middle English period from Old French appliquer ‘to attach, apply, bring to bear’ and from Latin applicare ‘to fasten to, join to.’ The agent noun suffix -ant marks the doer or agent in Latin; in English, -ant indicates a person who performs an action. The word “apply” itself emerges from Middle English applien, earlier from Old French appliquer, with roots in Latin ad- ‘toward’ + plicare ‘to fold, bend, weave.’ By the 15th century, applicant appeared in English law and governance contexts to denote a person who makes a formal request or petition. In modern usage, the word concentrates on someone actively submitting an application or candidacy for consideration, particularly in hiring, admissions, or formal procedures. Over time, as hiring processes formalized, “applicant” shifted from a general person who applies to a more specific candidate with a documented submission (resume, form) who is subject to review. Current usage centers on the state of having applied, rather than the result of the application itself, though context often implies equivalence with “candidate.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "applicant" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "applicant" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "applicant" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "applicant"
-ant sounds
-ent sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/. The stress falls on the first syllable: AP-pli-cant. Break it into three syllables: AP (short a as in cat), LI (schwa-like reduction to /lɪ/), cant (rhymes with plant). Ensure the final consonant is clear: /kənt/ with a light, unreleased ending in casual speech or a crisp release in careful speech. Practice saying: AP-lih-kənt, emphasizing the first syllable.
Common mistakes: misplacing the stress (sounds like a-LI-cant); slurring the second syllable to /-li-ə/; pronouncing the final /t/ too softly or dropping it. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈæp/ and articulate the middle /lɪ/ clearly, then finish with /kənt/, ensuring the /t/ is audible in careful speech. Use a short, crisp final consonant rather than a lazy /-nt/ into a nasal.
In US, UK, and AU accents, the initial /æ/ remains similar, but rhoticity affects the final syllable: US and AU often retain a rhotic quality on the vowel before the /r/ in similar words, but in applicant there is no /r/. The main differences lie in vowellength and vowel quality: /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/ remains stable, with UK tendency to slightly shorter /æ/ and more clipped /ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/. Australians may have a slightly broader /æ/ and a more relaxed final syllable. Overall, the word remains three syllables with primary stress on the first syllable across accents.
The difficulty centers on the unstressed middle syllable /lɪ/ which can reduce toward schwa, and the clear but final /ənt/ cluster that can blur if the /t/ is not released. Additionally, the initial /æ/ vowel can shift toward a more open or lax variant in fast speech. Concentrate on keeping the strong first syllable, maintaining the short, clear middle vowel, and finishing with a crisp /nt/ rather than a swallowed or nasalized ending.
An important note is the lack of /r/ in standard pronunciations of applicant; it is three syllables with stress on the first. Some speakers lightly reduce the second syllable to /ˈæp.lə.kənt/ in very casual speech, but careful speech should maintain /lɪ/ or /lə/ as a distinct middle vowel. Emphasize the final /t/ for clarity, particularly in HR or admissions contexts where mispronouncing could affect perceived professionalism.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "applicant"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying ‘applicant’ and repeat with identical rhythm; slow twice, then at normal speed, then one-fifth speed faster. - Minimal pairs: compare with words like ‘applicant’ vs ‘applicants’ (adding s), or ‘apply’ vs ‘applicant’ to feel the extra syllable and stress. - Rhythm: count 1-2-3 syllables; emphasize the first: AP-pli-cant. - Stress practice: use sentence frames and place stress contrastively: “I am the AP-pli-cant for the role.” - Recording: record yourself reading a job description and specifically listen to how you say applicant; compare to a model. - Context practice: read aloud two sentences with different speeds to train natural pronunciation in HR settings.
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