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.

---

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

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

Since leaving prison in 2020, he has worked as a canvasser on several political campaigns.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2023

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

The canvasser was holding a Confederate flag when he was detained by police.

From Washington Times • Nov. 1, 2022

And our magnetic statesman, James G. Blaine, began his career as a canvasser for a life of Henry Clay.

From Revisiting the Earth by Hill, James Langdon