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
-
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
-
canvassernoun
-
canvassingnoun
-
undercanvassverb
-
precanvassverb (used with object)
-
uncanvassedadjective
-
well-canvassedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
canvasssimple
-
canvassessimple
-
have canvassedperfect
-
has canvassedperfect
-
am canvassingprogressive
-
are canvassingprogressive
-
is canvassingprogressive
-
have been canvassingperfect progressive
-
has been canvassingperfect progressive
Past
-
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:
Dimon told JPMorgan bankers late last summer to canvass clients who might be receptive to taking money from the government in “public-private partnerships” like the MP Materials deal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 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
Rand’s researchers, who canvass the three neighborhoods every two months, found that the shortfalls coincide with an increase in the percentage of people “sleeping rough,” without the protection of a vehicle or tent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
It was also fitting that a playmaker that has created such artistry on the grass canvass has had a huge mural painted of him in Manchester's Northern Quarter.
From BBC ● May 20, 2025
Cora made a canvass of the village: Not a soul.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Arts minister Sir Chris Bryant said Turner "reshaped British art" and was "an innovator who created some of our best known canvasses".
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2025
Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Pablo Picasso all brushed their canvasses with it.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 29, 2024
Candidates for both parties spent the run-up to Election Day hosting last-minute get-out-the-vote rallies and canvasses.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 6, 2023
As mayor, Balen canvasses large swaths of the city every day to assess the status of his engineering projects.
From New York Times ● May 12, 2023
She came and stood by his side, and one by one he took up the little canvasses, explaining his tones and masses and relative values.
From An Engagement of Convenience A Novel by Louis Zangwill
While Brooks canvassed for the state’s largest progressive community action organization, she thought about one of her first interactions knocking doors this cycle.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
Minsal, who led the teams that canvassed three large census tracts with the greatest variation, said he recalls their 2025 count being lower and thinks a digital glitch doubled it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
The EFL subsequently canvassed feedback but it was clear clubs were strongly against any kind of video review system in the Championship.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
He had canvassed Jaguar Land Rover dealerships, and learned inventory was growing, indicating the automaker’s sales would soon slow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
She organized a group of sixty women who canvassed the state of New York, collecting ten thousand signatures on petitions.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Senate, at a canvassing event on Saturday morning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Issues are what Brooks starts with when she speaks to voters canvassing across Maine.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
He said officers had arrested three men, following reports of "intimidating and obstructive conduct" during canvassing in recent weekends, and "conflict between those canvassing and protesters".
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
In Brooklyn, organizers distribute “Red Cards” with 90-day checklists of activities like attending a coffee or canvassing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
As we make our way to the next block that we’ll be canvassing, people wave, or nod and say hello.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
