walker-on

A walker-on stands silently in the background of the stage scene.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A minor role in a theatrical production: "walker-on" refers to a performer who has a small, non-speaking part in a play or film, often appearing on stage or screen without any lines.
   • A person who walks on stage briefly: In theatre, a "walker-on" is an actor who appears in a scene but does not contribute dialogue, serving as part of the background or crowd.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She started her acting career as a walker-on in a Shakespearean play. (She performed a minor, non-speaking role on stage.)
  • The director hired several walkers-on to fill the crowd scenes in the film. (Extras were used to populate the background.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a walker-on": to hold a minor, non-speaking role in a performance.
  • He was just a walker-on in the opera, but he enjoyed being part of the production. (His part required no lines, only physical presence.)

Variants and Related Words

• Walk-on (adj): describing a minor, non-speaking role or part.

  • She accepted a walk-on part in the television series. (A small role without dialogue.)

• Extra (n): a performer hired to appear in a crowd or background scene, similar to a walker-on.

  • The film needed many extras for the battle scene. (Background actors without speaking roles.)

Synonyms

• Bit player: an actor with a very small role.
• Supernumerary: a performer who appears on stage but has no lines, often in opera or ballet.

Related Idioms

• "to have a walk-on part": to have a very small or insignificant role in a situation.
  • In the company meeting, he had only a walk-on part, contributing nothing to the discussion. (He was barely involved.)

Phrasal Verbs