vote

American  

[voht] / voʊt /

noun

• votes
  plural

1. a formal expression of opinion or choice made by an individual or body of individuals, especially in an election.

2. the means by which such expression is made, as a ballot, ticket, or show of hands.

3. the right to such expression.

   The 19th Amendment gave women the vote.

4. the total number of votes cast.

   The heavy vote was a result of a new law that allows mailed-in ballots to be scanned days in advance of the close of voting.

5. the decision reached by voting, as by a majority of ballots cast.

   The vote was in favor of the resolution.

6. a particular group of voters, or their collective expression of will as inferred from their votes.

   Two large unions endorsed the candidate on Monday, as he continues to court the labor vote.

7. an informal expression of approval, agreement, or judgment.

   My vote is for pepperoni—anchovies on pizza are gross!

---

verb (used without object)

• votes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• voted,
  past participle,  past
• voting
  present participle

1. to express or signify will or choice in a matter, as by casting a ballot: Don’t blame me if this film gives you nightmares—I voted for the romcom.

   Only three Republicans broke with their party to vote against the measure.

   Don’t blame me if this film gives you nightmares—I voted for the romcom.

verb (used with object)

• votes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• voted,
  past participle,  past
• voting
  present participle

1. to enact, establish, or determine by vote.

   Threats were made against members of Congress who voted the bill into law.

2. to support by one's vote.

   When Susan B. Anthony defied the law and voted in 1872, she proudly voted the Republican ticket.

3. to advocate by or as if by one's vote: I vote we go to Disney World.

   The committee voted that the report be accepted.

   I vote we go to Disney World.

4. to declare or decide by general consent.

   They voted the trip a success.

5. to encourage or cause to vote, especially in a particular way.

vote British  

/ vəʊt /

noun

1. an indication of choice, opinion, or will on a question, such as the choosing of a candidate, by or as if by some recognized means, such as a ballot

   10 votes for Jones

2. the opinion of a group of persons as determined by voting

   it was put to the vote

   do not take a vote

   it came to a vote

3. a body of votes or voters collectively

   the Jewish vote

4. the total number of votes cast

   the vote decreased at the last election

5. the ticket, ballot, etc, by which a vote is expressed

6. 1. the right to vote; franchise; suffrage

   2. a person regarded as the embodiment of this right

7. a means of voting, such as a ballot

8. a grant or other proposition to be voted upon

---

verb

1. (when tr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to express or signify (one's preference, opinion, or will) (for or against some question, etc)

   to vote by ballot

   we voted that it was time to adjourn

   vote for me!

2. (intr) to declare oneself as being (something or in favour of something) by exercising one's vote

   to vote socialist

3. (tr; foll by into or out of, etc) to appoint or elect (a person to or from a particular post)

   they voted him into the presidency

   he was voted out of office

4. (tr) to determine the condition of in a specified way by voting

   the court voted itself out of existence

5. (tr) to authorize, confer, or allow by voting

   vote us a rise

6. informal (tr) to declare by common opinion

   the party was voted a failure

7. (tr) to influence or control the voting of

   do not try to vote us!

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prevote
  noun
• revote
  noun
• revote
  verb
• unvoted
  adjective
• unvoting
  adjective
• votable
  adjective
• voteless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• votes
  plural

Participles

• voting
  present
• voted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• vote
  simple
• votes
  simple
• have voted
  perfect
• has voted
  perfect
• am voting
  progressive
• are voting
  progressive
• is voting
  progressive
• have been voting
  perfect progressive
• has been voting
  perfect progressive

Past

• voted
  simple
• had voted
  perfect
• was voting
  progressive
• were voting
  progressive
• had been voting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will vote
  simple
• will have voted
  perfect
• will be voting
  progressive
• will have been voting
  perfect progressive

---

Etymology

Origin of vote

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English noun from Latin vōtum “a vow made to a deity; prayer, desire, hope”; see also vow

---

Explanation

Your vote is your official choice on some specific question. You might feel that your vote hardly counts in a Presidential election, though your vote for student council treasurer might feel like it has a lot more importance. A vote is a formal noting of your preference, in an online poll or sitting in a circle with your book group, or when you cast it on a ballot at a polling place. To voice that preference is also to vote, either officially or more casually: "Let's all vote on a group costume for Halloween this year — a bag of jelly beans or the seven dwarfs?" The Latin root of vote is votum, "a vow, wish, or promise."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vote votes voted voting

"If you don't like someone's politics, you vote accordingly. You don't assault them."

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Sean Callow, senior currency strategist at ITC Markets, said the selling may have been triggered by news that the vote to hike was split.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will begin meeting this week with representatives of parties that won seats in the October 27 vote, to determine to which leader to give the first shot at forming a government.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

In the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, Congress said voters may register to vote by filling out a form and attesting under oath they are citizens.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

There were a few more acts after them, and then finally, it was time to vote.

From "Hopping Mad (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #4)" by Franklin W. Dixon

“I think some folks have been questioning whether they can get the votes done to make it happen,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Colorado’s Amendment 84 is a similar rule for postal votes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

The measure would let the City Council raise building height limits, set strict timelines on planning votes and automatically approve some amendments, opening the door to taller towers and speedier permitting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

This vouching process itself accounted for fewer than 0.6% of votes cast in Minnesota’s 2024 general election, according to state election officials.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

The barber in the crowd pointed out to everyone in his vicinity that New York’s additional votes must have come from congressmen who previously had favored St. Louis.

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

The central bank’s board voted six to three for the hike after materially revising up its inflation forecasts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish told the BBC he did not believe the proposals went far enough – although he said he didn't think they would get voted through if they were more extreme.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

The UnidosUS survey of 3,000 Latino voters found that almost a third of Latinas who voted for Trump had regrets about their vote — seven points more than Latino men.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

Bulgarians voted Sunday in a presidential runoff between two candidates with contrasting visions on the war in Ukraine, following a series of drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

The assembly had voted to tell the Thebans that Athens wished to be a good neighbor, but that she could not stand by and see a great wrong done.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

California is the most populous state in America with some 23 million people on its voting register.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Brandon Waithe, 42, an Air Force veteran who has organized get-out-the-vote events through Project HALO, a voting initiative, said he hoped to help raise turnout.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Meanwhile, early voting records have been smashed around the country, in places like South Carolina and Ohio.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

We can survive the degradation of the symbolic national unity of voting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

From the White House, President Johnson announced that he was determined to press for a powerful new voting rights law.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• choose
• declare
• determine
• elect
• enact
• establish
• grant
• propose
• recommend
• return

---