walk-on

noun

ˈwȯk-ˌȯn 

-ˌän

1

: a minor part (as in a dramatic production)

also : an actor having such a part

2

: a college athlete who tries out for an athletic team without having been recruited or offered a scholarship

Examples of walk-on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even so, the main role of the walk-ons at Florida is to prepare the rotation players for their next opponent. —Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2025

Purdue put walk-on offensive lineman Ethan Trent, younger brother of the late Boilermakers superfan Tyler Trent, on scholarship. —Chris Branch, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

Missouri football filled a gap in its scarce specialist room Monday with the addition of transfer punter John Butcher as a preferred walk-on, Butcher announced on X. Butcher makes the move from Grossmont College in El Cajon, California. —Amelia Hurley, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2025

The elimination of athletic scholarship caps comes with the imposition of roster limits that will lead to some athletes, particularly walk-ons, losing spots. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for walk-on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon