canvass
Americanverb (used with object)
-
canvasses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
canvassed,
past participle, past
-
canvassing
present participle
-
to solicit votes, subscriptions, opinions, or the like from.
-
to examine carefully; investigate by inquiry; discuss; debate.
- Synonyms:
- explore, scrutinize, analyze
verb (used without object)
-
canvasses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
canvassed,
past participle, past
-
canvassing
present participle
noun
-
canvasses
plural
-
a soliciting of votes, orders, or the like.
-
a campaign for election to government office.
-
close inspection; scrutiny.
the official canvass of election results.
verb
-
to solicit votes, orders, advertising, etc, from
-
to determine the feelings and opinions of (voters before an election, etc), esp by conducting a survey
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to investigate (something) thoroughly, esp by discussion or debate
-
to inspect (votes) officially to determine their validity
noun
-
a solicitation of opinions, votes, sales orders, etc
-
close inspection; scrutiny
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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canvassernoun
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canvassingnoun
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undercanvassverb
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precanvassverb (used with object)
-
uncanvassedadjective
-
well-canvassedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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canvasssimple
-
canvassessimple
-
have canvassedperfect
-
has canvassedperfect
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am canvassingprogressive
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are canvassingprogressive
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is canvassingprogressive
-
have been canvassingperfect progressive
-
has been canvassingperfect progressive
Past
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canvassedsimple
-
had canvassedperfect
-
was canvassingprogressive
-
were canvassingprogressive
-
had been canvassingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of canvass
First recorded in 1500–10; originally a spelling variant of canvas, as a verb; the sense “discuss” apparently a development of the earlier senses “toss in a canvas sheet,” and “harshly criticize”; the sense “solicit votes” is obscurely derived
Explanation
A canvass is a poll, usually a political one. Around elections, political parties often canvass particular neighborhoods, looking for votes and trying to measure the pulse of the people. You might think of canvass as the heavy cotton cloth that is pronounced the same although spelled with only one s, that is, canvas. Canvas is used to cover things, and a canvass serves the same sort of purpose. Before elections, politicians want to cover their neighborhoods and districts with canvasses, campaign workers, flyers and the like in hopes of securing votes.
Vocabulary lists containing canvass
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Grade 12, List 6
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March: Book Three
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He called on an official canvass of votes by electoral authorities to determine the winner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
“When I canvass for Chuck, sometimes I ask people, ‘What do you actually think about the state of the Democratic Party?’
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
His intention to canvass voters in Makerfield, in Greater Manchester, is unexpected given Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership, should he become an MP.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
Players planned to canvass their peers scattered across spring training camps, then meet again Wednesday, with the possibility of voting on a new executive director then.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
My responsibilities were to organize the campaign, coordinate the regional branches, canvass for volunteers, and raise funds.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso all brushed their canvasses with it.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 29, 2024
Both are blank canvasses filled out by different kinds of American dreams.
From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2023
Museum director Lasse Andersson said that he had laughed out loud when he first saw the two blank canvasses in 2021, and decided to show the works anyway.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2023
“I’m thrilled that the library has chosen to bring back the bookmobile,” said Consuelo Soto Murphy, an artist and Sunnyside native who designed the three canvasses that adorn the sides and back of the vehicle.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
Also annual reports and sociological canvasses of the Federation.
From Races and Immigrants in America by John R. (John Rogers) Commons
That poll, commissioned by the annuity provider Global Atlantic, canvassed just over 1,000 consumers between the ages of 55 and 75 with between $250,000 and $2 million in investible assets.
From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026
Only a net 17% of asset managers now expect lower policy rates from central banks whereas that figure was 46% when they were canvassed in February.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 17, 2026
She said roughly 20 members have canvassed the area, from downtown homeless encampments to a rocky wash near Guthrie’s home, searching for signs of the missing woman.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
They have canvassed the trade market and laid potential groundwork for possible future moves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025
A full range of answers to that question was canvassed.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Long before the Supreme Court handed down the landmark Obergefell ruling on equal marriage in 2015, activists were canvassing door to door, courting any lawmaker who would listen, and losing at the local level—a lot.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
The group is expected to focus on door-to-door canvassing, digital advertising and direct mail aimed at mobilizing conservative voters who are less likely to participate in non-presidential elections.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
In 2016, a team started canvassing the area around the former U.S. naval base at Subic Bay, talking to local fishermen and divers about conditions at the site.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood for evidence and reviewing surveillance footage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
After canvassing the street, he’d stand on the curb’s edge and look up at the house windows.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
