campaign

[kam-peyn]

noun

1. the competition by rival political candidates and organizations for public office.

2. a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose.

   a sales campaign.

   Synonyms: offensive, push, effort, drive

3. Military.

   1. military operations for a specific objective.

   2. Obsolete.,  the military operations of an army in the field for one season.

4. a story in a role-playing game, spread out over multiple play sessions, that usually keeps the same plot, setting, or main characters.

   Last week we finished our campaign and I already miss it.

verb (used without object)

1. to serve in or go on a campaign.

   He planned to campaign for the candidate.

   My daughter has been campaigning for a later curfew for months.

verb (used with object)

1. to race (a horse, boat, car, etc.) in a number or series of competitions.

campaign

/ kæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. a series of coordinated activities, such as public speaking and demonstrating, designed to achieve a social, political, or commercial goal

   a presidential campaign

   an advertising campaign

2. military a number of complementary operations aimed at achieving a single objective, usually constrained by time or geographic area

verb

1. to conduct, serve in, or go on a campaign

Other Word Forms

• campaigner noun
• countercampaign noun
• precampaign noun
• recampaign verb
• uncampaigning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of campaign¹

First recorded in 1620–30; from French campagne, from Italian campagna, from Late Latin campānia “level district,” equivalent to Latin camp(us) “field” + -ān(us) -an + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of campaign¹

C17: from French campagne open country, from Italian campagna, from Late Latin campānia, from Latin campus field

Example Sentences

These kinds of tensions are already playing out on the campaign trail.

From Salon

And injury has again robbed Tuchel of Stones' talent and his experience will be missed when England head to Serbia next week for their toughest match of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

From BBC

The main point we made about England's campaign in the Champions Trophy in February was that they do not know how to play 50-over cricket.

From BBC

The right-back featured in every game in the successful Euro 2022 campaign - and again three years later as England retained their crown in Switzerland.

From BBC

The book title references the short length of her presidential campaign.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crusade 
• drive 
• fight 
• movement 
• offensive 
• operation 
• push