这些词都有：参加，参与等含义，但是用法不尽相同：
1. participate指参与某活动或事件，含积极、主动之意，常后接介词 in。
The girls in his class are willing to participate in the dancing party.
他班上的女生们很乐意参加这次舞会。
She didn't participate in the discussion.
她没有参加讨论。
We encourage students to participate fully in the running of the college.
我们鼓励学生全面参与学院的运作。
Each child had participated in extracurricular activities at school.
每个孩子都参加了学校的课外活动。
They expected him to participate in the ceremony...
他们希望他参加典礼。
Over half the population of this country participate in sport.
这个国家一半以上的人口参加体育锻炼。
The doctors take turns at participating in the mobile medical team.
医生们轮流参加巡回医疗队。
I actively participate in practical activities, and I can learn lots of knowledge.
我积极参加实践活动，我能学习到许多知识。
The research team recruited 34 healthy young women to participate in the project.
该研究团队招募了34位健康的年轻女性来参与这一项目。
It's impossible to assess how many officers are participating in the slowdown.
要估算出究竟多少高级职员参与了怠工是不可能的。
They enjoy participating in a wide variety of activities, both locally and further afield
他们乐于参与本地及外地的各种活动。
They plan to participate in the autumn fair.
他们计划参加秋季交易会。
He planned to participate in the demonstration, but then he got cold feet.
他打算参加示威，但后来临阵退缩了。
The Electronic Commerce Institute invites area businesses to actively participate in promoting E-Commerce education and experience.
电子商务研究所邀请区企业积极参与在促进电子商务的教育和经验。
Who will participate in these discussions?
谁将参与这些讨论？
Kate has always participated fully in the life of the school.
凯特一直充分参与学校的生活。
They believe that participating in fights toughens boys and shows them how to be men.
他们认为参与打架会使男孩子变得坚强，教会他们怎样成为男人。
The teacher tries to get everyone to participate in the classroom discussion.
老师试图让每个人都参加课堂讨论。
We want to encourage members to participate fully in the running of the club.
我们希望鼓励会员充分参与俱乐部的经营。
This autumn, 6000 residents will participate in the first phase of the project.
今年秋天，将有6000名居民参加该项目的第一阶段。
The White House has not participated in any talks.
白宫方面没有参加任何会谈。
She never participated in obtaining or copying any classified documents for anyone.
她从未参与过为任何人获取或复制机密文件之事。
The importance of participating in the life of the country cannot be overestimated.
参与国家生活的重要性再怎么说都不为过。
An armada of U.S. Navy ships participated in the invasion.
美国海军舰队参加了入侵行动。
2.attend v. [正式]参加，出席
多指出席会议、参加学术活动、听课等。包含有 presence 的意思，意为“参加，出席”
How many people attended the meeting?
多少人出席了会议？
Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the meeting.
真可惜我不能参加这次会议。
She didn't explain why she was unable to attend.
她没解释不能出席的原因。
She was unable to attend because of the pressures of work.
由于工作紧张她不能出席。
I was unable to attend because of a previous engagement.
我因有约在先，无法出席。
She will be unable to attend because of a prior engagement.
因事先有别的安排，她将不能出席。
Please let us know if you cannot attend the meeting.
你若不能参加会议，请通知我们。
The meeting is on the fifth and we're hoping everyone will attend.
会议在5号，我们希望大家都能参加。
Children must attend school between the ages of 5 and 16.
5到16岁的孩子必须上学。
Which school do your children attend?
你的孩子上哪所学校？
Our children attend the same school.
我们的孩子上同一所学校。
They attended college together at the University of Pennsylvania.
他们一起就读于宾夕法尼亚大学。
I attended the classes/seminars/lectures for a month or two.
我参加了一两个月的课程/研讨会/讲座。
It is important that he should attend every day.
他每天都要出席，这很重要。(虚拟语气用法)
It is important for him to attend every day.
他每天都要出席，这很重要。
All the local clergy were asked to attend the ceremony.
所有当地的圣职人员都获邀参加这项仪式。
The funeral was attended by her immediate family only.
只有她的直系亲属参加了葬礼。
The gala evening was attended by royalty and politicians.
王室成员和政坛要人参加了这个晚会。
The Ball was attended by the cream of Hollywood society.
好莱坞的大牌影星们出席了那个舞会。
The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries.
此次会议有来自56个国家的代表出席。
The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders.
90%的股东出席了会议。
3.engage v. [正式]参加，参与
指做某事或参与某项活动，常后接介词 in/on/upon。是正式用词
Even in prison, he continued to engage in criminal activities.
他甚至在监狱里还继续从事犯罪活动。
I have never engaged in the drug trade...
我从未参与过毒品交易。
Nowadays, office workers rarely engage in regular exercise.
现在，上班族很少定期进行锻炼。
Due to some historical and practical reasons, the two parties engaged upon an escalating political struggle.
由于一些历史和现实原因，两党陷入了日益加剧的政治斗争。
Despite his illness, he remained actively engaged in translating documents.
虽然生病了，他还是积极地参与文件的翻译。
He is engaged in a bitter struggle with his rival to get control of the company.
为取得对公司的控制权，他正同对手进行一场激烈的斗争。
At least 17 different irregular units are engaged in the war.
至少有17个非正规军部队参战。
The soldiers were engaged in a military operation close to the Ugandan border.
这些士兵参加了乌干达边境附近的一次军事行动。
3.join v. 参加，加入
指加入组织、团体等，也指与他人一同做某事，或去某人那里与其呆在一起或做某事。含有“成为其中一员”的意思，意为“参加，加入”，
He has made up his mind to join the army.
他决意去参军。
He has applied to join the army.
他已报名参军。
He joined the society for political ends.
他为了政治目的加入了这个协会。
Thousands of Victorian workers joined educational associations in an attempt to better themselves.
维多利亚时代成千上万名工人加入了各种教育协会，以求上进。
I've had my doubts about his work since he joined the firm.
自从他加入公司以来，我对他的工作一直持有怀疑。
She joined the company three months ago.
她三个月前进了这家公司。
She joined the Labour Party in April.
她4月份加入了工党。
Many have joined the campaign to end gender discrimination.
很多人参与了禁止性别歧视的运动。
His wife moved in to join him in their new home.
他妻子搬来和他在新家共同生活。
I don't have time for a drink now, but I'll join you later.
我现在没时间喝一杯，但我一会儿和你一起去。
Why don't you ask your sister if she would like to join us for supper?
你为什么不问问你妹妹是否愿意和我们一起吃晚饭？
We took the ferry across the Channel and then joined the Paris train at Calais.
我们乘渡船横渡英吉利海峡，然后在加莱上了巴黎火车。
If you're buying tickets, please join the queue.
如果你要买票，请排队。
Over 200 members of staff joined the strike.
200多名雇员参加了罢工。
We sent a wire asking him to join us.
我们给他发了一份电报请他加入我们的行列。
Anyone interested in joining the club should contact us at the address below.
有意加入俱乐部者请按下面的地址和我们联系。
People of various party allegiances joined the campaign.
各个不同政党的拥护者都参加了这次活动。
Members of the public joined the search for the missing boy.
许多民众加入了搜寻失踪男孩的行动。
I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing Ted and Laura a very happy marriage.
我相信大家会愿意与我一起共祝特德和劳拉喜结良缘。
对应的短语动词 join in (sth/doing sth)，join in (with sb/sth) 也有类似的意思，例如：
She listens but she never joins in.
她只是听，但从来不发表意见。
All the members of the interviewing panel joined in with questions.
面试小组的所有成员都提出了问题。
4.take part in
phr. v. 参加
指参加集体性的活动。相当于 participate
673 private golf clubs took part in a recent study
673家私人高尔夫俱乐部参与了最近的研究。
They returned to take part in the season's opening game.
他们回来参加本赛季的开幕赛。
He had been taking part in an international symposium on population.
他那时正参加一个有关人口问题的国际研讨会。
Small wonder that he decided to take no part in the debate.
难怪他决定不参加辩论呢。
Thousands of students have taken part in demonstrations.
数千学生参加了游行。
How many countries took part in the last Olympic Games?
有多少国家参加了上届奥运会？
Three-quarters of the country's workers took part in the strike
该国有3/4的工人参加了这次罢工。
More than fifteen thousand people took part in the memorial service.
有15,000多人参加了悼念仪式。
The majority of the students who took part in the protest came from the same school.
大部分参加抗议的学生来自同一所学校。
You don't need strength to take part in this sport
参加这项运动不需要太多体力。
He always takes an active part in politics.
他总是积极参与政治活动。
She takes an active part in school life.
她积极参加学校活动。
Six theatre companies have been selected to take part in this year's festival.
已选定六个剧团参加今年的戏剧节。
You don't need strength to take part in this sport.
参加这项运动不需要太多体力。
The officer refused to let his men take part in the operation.
这军官拒绝让他的士兵参加这项军事行动。
注意以下几点：
1）. 若是正式用词，优先考虑使用 attend，enage 和 participate.
2). 表示成为某个活动或事情的初始成员时用 join，不用其他，它可以表示在出席在某个活动或事情之前。
3). 表示”积极、主动“参与某事或某活动，用 participate、engage 或 take part in。跟 attend 不同的是，它们表示不但出席了某个活动，还主动参与其中，相当于 join in；engage 还可用于 engage sb in 搭配中，表示使某人参与或从事。
4). 可以接 in 等介词的用 join，pariticpate 和 engage.
5). 含有”出席“之意且跟学术、会议或课有关的用 attend.