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

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 said he was paid $25 an hour and found the job on Craigslist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2025

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

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2023

It was unclear whether Mr. Paiz could see the boy through the door, or whether the boy had identified himself as a canvasser with the Warnock campaign before the shot was fired.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2022

He went on humming a sprightly air, then suddenly interrupting himself, he said, 'But have you got an advertisement canvasser, Mr. De Haan?'

From The Grandchildren of the Ghetto by Zangwill, Israel