performer

performer — noun

1. someone who appears in front of an audience and entertains them with singing, ac

1.nounB1
Definition

someone who appears in front of an audience and entertains them with singing, acting, dancing, music, or similar skills.

Example

The young performer bowed as children threw paper stars onto the stage.

performer on stage before a live audience

At the summer fair, two street performers played drums near the fountain.

compound: street performer

Common collocations
  • street performer
  • stage performer
  • live performer
  • solo performer
  • local performer
Synonyms
  • entertainer

    broader and often stresses keeping people amused, not only artistic skill

  • artist

    can include creators as well as stage performers, so it is wider

  • musician

    only fits performers whose act is based on playing or singing music

  • actor

    only fits dramatic performance, not music or dance

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

performer in + show/group

street/stage/live performer

Usage Note

Often appears with the art form or setting: stage performer, live performer, street performer, circus performer. Distinguish from sense 2, which talks about results or quality rather than entertaining an audience.

Common Mistakes

The singer gave a great performer last night.
The singer gave a great performance last night.
'performer' is the person; 'performance' is the event.

2. someone or something judged by how well it works, learns, sells, or succeeds in

2.nounB2
Definition

someone or something judged by how well it works, learns, sells, or succeeds in a particular area.

Example

This phone is a strong performer even after three years of daily use.

adjective + performer for product quality

Among new staff, Priya was the fastest performer in the sales contest.

performer in + competition or area

Common collocations
  • strong performer
  • top performer
  • poor performer
  • steady performer
  • best performer
Synonyms
  • achiever

    mainly for people, and usually only for good results

  • star

    informal and strongly positive; not used for average or poor cases

  • standout

    emphasizes being noticeably better than others, usually in a group

Antonyms
  • laggard

    formal word for a person or thing that stays behind others

  • underachiever

    used for people who do worse than expected

Grammar Patterns

adjective + performer

performer in/on + area

Usage Note

Usually follows an adjective such as strong, top, poor, or steady. The subject may be a person, a team, a product, or another thing being judged by results. Distinguish from sense 3, where the performer is the one carrying out a task in a formal record.

Common Mistakes

This laptop is a high performance.
This laptop is a high performer.
'high performance' names the quality, while 'performer' names the person or thing.

3. the person who actually carries out a task, test, action, or piece of work.

3.nounC1
Definition

the person who actually carries out a task, test, action, or piece of work.

Example

The performer of the safety check must sign the form in blue ink.

performer of + task

Each task sheet names the performer and the person who reviews it.

formal record naming the performer

Common collocations
  • performer of the test
  • performer of the task
  • named performer
  • performer's name
Synonyms
  • operator

    common when the task involves running a machine or system

  • tester

    only fits when the work is a test or trial

  • worker

    broader and less formal; it does not point to one recorded action

Antonyms
  • reviewer

    checks or approves the work instead of doing it

  • supervisor

    oversees the task rather than carrying it out personally

Grammar Patterns

performer of + task/test/action

Usage Note

Common in formal records, instructions, and technical documents. It is often followed by of + the action or test. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense identifies who did the work, not how good the result was.

Common Mistakes

The report lists the performer for the test.
The report lists the performer of the test.
this formal sense usually takes 'of' before the task or test.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For sense 1, performer is a broad word for someone who goes in front of an audience and gives a show. Entertainer is close, but it more strongly suggests keeping people amused, and it can sound less focused on artistic skill. Artist is wider still: a painter can be an artist, but not a performer. Musician fits only when the person performs music, while actor fits only dramatic roles in plays, films, or television. So performer is often the safest choice when the exact art form does not matter yet. You can say, 'The festival invited young performers from across Taiwan.' If the act is known, use the narrower word: 'The musician played first, and the actor came on after her.'

entertainer ↗artist ↗musician ↗actor ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Performer was formed in English from perform and the suffix -er, which means 'a person or thing that does something.' Perform came into English through French from older Latin-based forms linked to the idea of carrying something through to completion. Because perform can mean both 'carry out a task' and 'appear for an audience,' performer later developed both meanings too.