canvass

American  

[kan-vuhs] / ˈkæn vəs /

verb (used with object)

• canvasses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• canvassed,
  past participle,  past
• canvassing
  present participle

1. to solicit votes, subscriptions, opinions, or the like from.

2. 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

1. to solicit votes, opinions, or the like.

noun

• canvasses
  plural

1. a soliciting of votes, orders, or the like.

2. a campaign for election to government office.

3. close inspection; scrutiny.

   the official canvass of election results.

canvass British  

/ ˈkænvəs /

verb

1. to solicit votes, orders, advertising, etc, from

2. to determine the feelings and opinions of (voters before an election, etc), esp by conducting a survey

3. to investigate (something) thoroughly, esp by discussion or debate

4. to inspect (votes) officially to determine their validity

---

noun

1. a solicitation of opinions, votes, sales orders, etc

2. close inspection; scrutiny

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• canvasser
  noun
• canvassing
  noun
• undercanvass
  verb
• precanvass
  verb (used with object)
• uncanvassed
  adjective
• well-canvassed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• canvasses
  plural

Participles

• canvassing
  present
• canvassed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• canvass
  simple
• canvasses
  simple
• have canvassed
  perfect
• has canvassed
  perfect
• am canvassing
  progressive
• are canvassing
  progressive
• is canvassing
  progressive
• have been canvassing
  perfect progressive
• has been canvassing
  perfect progressive

Past

• canvassed
  simple
• had canvassed
  perfect
• was canvassing
  progressive
• were canvassing
  progressive
• had been canvassing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will canvass
  simple
• will have canvassed
  perfect
• will be canvassing
  progressive
• will have been canvassing
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canvass canvasses canvassed canvassing

Solis said she had directed the Department of Public Health to deploy teams to canvass the neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

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

"Once the official canvass takes place and its final result is produced, and the corresponding verifications have been carried out, we will recognize the official result that emerges from that structure."

From BBC ● 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

He and Schnooks thanked the clerk for his kind attention, then set out to canvass more hotels.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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

At Girls State, Emily, a conservative Christian, hopes to be elected governor, a goal she shares with the left-leaning Cecilia Bartin, who canvasses the lunchroom by shouting from a chair.

From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 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

In reviewing her industrial position we quoted rather largely from a Procès-Verbal of the deliberations of the Council-General, also an elective body, which canvasses, but not regulates, the internal administration of the island.

From Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia with Notices of their History, Antiquities, and Present Condition. by Thomas Forester

The two countries "quickly canvassed" the Chinese missile test, Luxon told reporters in a briefing after the talks.

From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 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

Several were summoned to see owner Marinakis after the Wolves draw, with opinions also canvassed following Friday's 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Leeds.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026

Then Sergeant Murray had canvassed the more senior B-block officers about Cradle.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

They talk about its European-style organizing model, its uneasy alliance with the Democratic Party, the primacy of canvassing and volunteering, and the art of compromise.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026

When canvassing, they say, their aim isn’t merely to knock on every door in a given neighborhood—but to do so four times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood for evidence and reviewing surveillance footage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

They had reached out to their local and state Democratic Party organizations asking how they might help — maybe doorknocking, or canvassing — but had not gotten a response.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2026

Today is Saturday and the Housewives’ League is passing out coupons and canvassing to sign up new members in Paradise Valley and Black Bottom.

From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

Related Words

• agitate
• consult
• inspect
• scrutinize
• solicit