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• elect
  elect

  verb (used with object)

  to choose or select by vote, as for an office.
• elect.
  elect.

  abbreviation

  electric.

elect

¹ American  

[ih-lekt] / ɪˈlɛkt /

verb (used with object)

• elects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• elected,
  past participle,  past
• electing
  present participle

1. to choose or select by vote, as for an office.

   to elect a mayor.

2. to determine in favor of (a method, course of action, etc.).

3. to pick out; choose.

   First-year students may elect French, Spanish, or German.

4. Theology. (of God) to select for divine mercy or favor, especially for salvation.

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verb (used without object)

• elects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• elected,
  past participle,  past
• electing
  present participle

1. to choose or select someone or something, as by voting.

adjective

1. selected, as for an office, but not yet inducted (usually used in combination following a noun).

   the governor-elect.

2. select or choice.

   an elect circle of artists.

3. Theology. chosen by God, especially for eternal life.

noun

1. a person or the persons chosen or worthy to be chosen.

2. Theology. a person or persons chosen by God, especially for favor or salvation.

elect. ² American  

Or elec

abbreviation

1. electric.

2. electrical.

3. electrician.

4. electricity.

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elect British  

/ ɪˈlɛkt /

verb

1. (tr) to choose (someone) to be (a representative or a public official) by voting

   they elected him Mayor

2. to select; choose

   to elect to die rather than surrender

3. (tr) (of God) to select or predestine for the grace of salvation

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adjective

1. (immediately postpositive) voted into office but not yet installed

   the president elect

2. 1. chosen or choice; selected or elite

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elect

3. Christianity

   1. selected or predestined by God to receive salvation; chosen

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elect

Synonym Usage

See choose.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• electability
  noun
• electee
  noun
• nonelect
  noun
• preelect
  verb (used with object)
• reelect
  verb (used with object)
• electable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• electing
  present
• elected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• elect
  simple
• elects
  simple
• have elected
  perfect
• has elected
  perfect
• am electing
  progressive
• are electing
  progressive
• is electing
  progressive
• have been electing
  perfect progressive
• has been electing
  perfect progressive

Past

• elected
  simple
• had elected
  perfect
• was electing
  progressive
• were electing
  progressive
• had been electing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will elect
  simple
• will have elected
  perfect
• will be electing
  progressive
• will have been electing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of elect

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin ēlēctus “chosen” (past participle of ēligere ), equivalent to ē- “out of, from” + leg- “choose” + -tus past participle suffix; see e- ¹, elite

Explanation

To elect is to choose. A group of citizens may elect the next president, or you may just elect to stay home during the blizzard. Most famously, in the political sense, elect means to choose a person for public office, usually via an election. It also means to choose a particular course in life of major consequence. You probably don't elect to drink Pepsi over Coke, but you do elect to study a particular major at college, or sign up for military service.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

elect elect. elects elected electing

Mayor Zohran Mamdani was riding high earlier this summer after fulfilling a campaign pledge to tax the wealthy, helping elect three progressive congressional candidates and handing the victorious Knicks the keys to the city.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

CDU lawmakers will meet on Wednesday to formally elect Spahn's successor Thorsten Frei, Merz's chief of staff.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Each county would elect a certain number of delegates, depending on its size and support for Democratic candidates.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

"I believe in the democratic tradition of electing local authorities and for those authorities to be accountable to the people that elect them," he added.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

That afternoon Shirley embarked on a campaign among the girls to elect Emily.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

“Listen to me. Please don’t forget, laws don’t just happen to you. Laws are made and they’re made by the people you elect. So you have a voice, exercise it.”

From Washington Times ● Apr. 7, 2016

In fact, for 36 of the last 44 years, City Hall has been occupied by four men whom Mr. Garth helped elect. is the fourth.

From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2010

Spenser. dim. diminutive. opp. opposed. subj. subjunctive. dub. doubtful. opt. optics. suff. suffix. eccles. ecclesiastical history. orig. originally. superl. superlative. e.g. for example. ornith. ornithology. surg. surgery. elect. electricity.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Each Texas county elects its own slate of local officials, which is why state law requires voters to register where they live.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

The Fed’s rate-setting body, the Federal Open Market Committee, elects its own chair every year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

Each region elects seven members using a form of proportional representation.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

It led Latham to predict that "it will be no different" to previous Tests at the venue where the team that wins the toss elects to bowl first.

From Barron's ● Dec. 1, 2025

The Gathering elects Runners, and if you think I’m tough, they’d laugh in your face.”

From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner

He now has an opportunity to become only the fourth Black person elected to be a state governor in U.S. history.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

Rowan was elected to Kirklees Council in May, winning the Colne Valley West ward from Labour.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The opposition was meanwhile represented by Dinorah Figuera, leader of the political bloc that won a majority in the 2015 National Assembly, the last legislature elected in a vote widely recognized by the international community.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

In each case, the Secret Service determined the elected leaders faced significant threats in transit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

The soldiers’ job was to reinstate the country’s democratically elected government, in the process stripping power from the junta—a government composed of military leaders—whose corrupt and cruel reign had gone on for three years.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Their analysis found that every method for electing a national legislature involves compromises, usually among local representation, national proportionality, and the total number of parliamentary seats.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

The endorsement may come with some financial support, with the group saying it has raised some $25 million to fund its goal of electing more doctors and nurses to office between now and 2030.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

In her video, Michelle Bolsonaro recalled how she had built up the women's wing "from scratch", electing over a thousand female leaders, and helping "reduce rejection" of some male candidates.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

With permanent resident status, she said she has no say in electing officials who shape her everyday life, despite contributing taxes and caring for the elderly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

“I can not shoulder the responsibility of electing officers who publicly repudiate the principles of the society,” Foster said.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• accept
• admit
• appoint
• conclude
• designate
• determine
• name
• nominate
• pick
• receive
• resolve
• take
• vote
• vote for