canvasser

American  

[kan-vuhs-er] / ˈkæn vəs ər /

noun

1. a person who solicits votes, subscriptions, donations, opinions, or the like, especially by phone or door-to-door.

   Besides raising funds, canvassers also leave important information for residents regarding heart health.

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Etymology

Origin of canvasser

First recorded in 1595–1605, for an earlier sense; 1790–1800, for the current sense; canvass ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canvasser

One canvasser, Timothy Nikonorov, explained that he had been an active volunteer with Mamdani’s campaign before becoming a frequent canvasser for Park, and an occasional canvassing lead.

From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026

She’s paired up with a first-time canvasser, Michael, a twentysomething from Queens who declined to give his last name.

From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2025

One canvasser sought signatures at a Tijuana school, where he was seen falsifying addresses for signers who weren’t California voters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2023

But Mr. Dyas-Gordon, whose mother is a canvasser, said that after the 2016 election, strangers menaced him, even chasing him down the street.

From New York Times ● Nov. 7, 2022

What a splendid canvasser he must have been, with his handsome face, his courtesy, his deference, his charm of speech, and infinite readiness of explanation!

From Bygones Worth Remembering, Vol. 1 (of 2) by Holyoake, George Jacob