entrant

entrant — noun

1. a person newly admitted to a group, an organisation, a school, or a profession

1.nounB2
Definition

a person newly admitted to a group, an organisation, a school, or a profession

Example

Hari is a new entrant to the medical school this year.

new entrant to [institution]

All new entrants to the nursing programme attend a two-week orientation session.

Common collocations
  • new entrant
  • recent entrant
  • entrant to the profession
  • entrant to the university
  • youngest entrant
  • new entrant programme
Synonyms
  • newcomer

    more general term for someone recently arrived in any context; entrant is more specific to joining an institution or profession

  • recruit

    often implies being actively brought in by an organisation; entrant may join of their own choice

  • beginner

    focuses on lack of experience rather than recent membership; entrant may still be experienced in other contexts

Antonyms
  • veteran

    someone with long experience in the group or profession

  • old-timer

    informal term for a long-standing member

Grammar Patterns

entrant + to + group/organisation/institution

Usage Note

Often followed by to when specifying the group or institution: an entrant to a university, an entrant to the profession. Less commonly followed by of.

Common Mistakes

She is a new entrant in the university.
She is a new entrant to the university.
For groups and institutions, use to rather than in.
The company hired an entrant worker.
The company hired a new entrant.
Entrant is a noun, not an adjective; use new entrant or recent entrant instead.

2. a person who signs up for a competition, a race, or an examination

2.nounB1
Definition

a person who signs up for a competition, a race, or an examination

Example

Over fifty entrants signed up for the city's annual marathon this spring.

entrant + signed up for + competition

Each entrant in the cooking contest must prepare a three-course meal.

entrant in [competition]

Common collocations
  • entrant in the competition
  • entrant for the exam
  • competition entrant
  • race entrant
  • exam entrant
  • contest entrant
Synonyms
  • participant

    broader term — can apply to any activity, not just competitive ones; entrant is specifically someone who has entered

  • competitor

    emphasises the goal of winning; entrant may be participating without expectation of winning

  • contestant

    commonly used for game shows and talent contests; entrant is more general across race, exam, and competition settings

  • candidate

    most often used for exams and elections; entrant is more common for races and competitions

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

entrant + in + competition/race

entrant + for + exam

Usage Note

Use in with competitions and races (entrant in a race). Use for with exams (entrants for the exam). Entrant is more formal than contestant or participant.

Common Mistakes

Each entrant for the competition must register online.
Each entrant in the competition must register online.
Use in for competitions, for for exams.
He is a new entrant to the race.
He is an entrant in the race.
This sense does not take to; use in.

3. a company that enters a new market where other firms already sell similar goods

3.nounC1
Definition

a company that enters a new market where other firms already sell similar goods

Example

The electric car maker is a recent entrant to the Asian market.

recent entrant to [market]

New entrants in the smartphone industry face stiff competition from established brands.

Common collocations
  • new entrant
  • recent entrant
  • late entrant
  • first entrant
  • market entrant
  • entrant to the market
  • entrant to the industry
  • early entrant
Synonyms
  • newcomer

    general term also used in business contexts; entrant is more specific to market entry

  • challenger

    implies directly competing with established players; entrant is neutral about competitive intent

  • latecomer

    focuses on entering after others; entrant can be first or early

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

adjective + entrant + to + market/sector/field

Usage Note

Nearly always used with an adjective such as new, recent, late, or first. The preposition to is most common, though in and into also appear for specific sectors or fields.

Common Mistakes

The company is a late entrant of the market.
The company is a late entrant to the market.
Use to, not of, when specifying the market.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Entrant, participant, competitor, contestant, and candidate all describe someone involved in an organised activity, but each has a different emphasis. Entrant is the most neutral term — it simply means someone who has signed up, whether for a race, an exam, or a tournament. Participant is broader: it covers anyone taking part in any activity, competitive or not (a participant in a workshop). Competitor emphasises the goal of winning and is normally used for sports and business rivalry rather than exams. Contestant is common in entertainment contexts such as TV game shows and talent competitions. Candidate is almost exclusively reserved for exams and job or political elections. In practice, a person running a marathon is an entrant (at registration), a participant (during the event), and a competitor (if trying to win) — the choice signals which aspect you want to highlight.

participant ↗competitor ↗contestant ↗candidate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • new entrant
  • recent entrant
  • first entrant
  • late entrant
  • early entrant
  • youngest entrant

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Entrant comes from the French word 'entrer', meaning 'to enter', which traces back to the Latin 'intrare' (to go into). English borrowed it in the 16th century, first referring to someone who enters a physical location, and later extending to joining groups, competitions, and markets.