walk-on

American  

[wawk-on, -awn] / ˈwɔkˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

noun

1. Also called walking part.  a small part in a play or other entertainment, especially one without speaking lines.

2. an entertainer or actor who plays such a part.

3. an athlete trying out for a team who has not been drafted, specifically invited, scouted, awarded a scholarship, etc.

---

walk-on British  

noun

1. 1. a small part in a play or theatrical entertainment, esp one without any lines

   2. ( as modifier )

      a walk-on part

---

adjective

1. (of an aircraft or air service) having seats to be booked immediately before departure rather than in advance

Etymology

Origin of walk-on

First recorded in 1900–05; noun use of verb phrase walk on

Example Sentences

The walk-on music in the first round reminded many viewers of a different team and a different time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

Appropriately, then, his walk-on music at Wembley was also an Elvis track - in this case, a cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

After years of learning the techniques of a long snapper, Olson earned a first-string spot at the position for Orange Lutheran and joined the Trojans in 2015 as a walk-on player.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Unable to land a scholarship coming out of high school, Jones used his academic success to enroll at UCLA, where he played as a walk-on for a strong Bruin team coached by Sigi Schmid.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

If they are to have anything more than a mere walk-on part, they should very quickly explain themselves.

From The Lure of the Pen A book for Would-Be Authors by Klickmann, Flora

Related Words

• artist
• character
• clown
• comedian
• entertainer
• performer
• player
• star
• villain