vote

American  

[voht] / voʊt /

noun

• votes
  plural

1. a formal expression of opinion or choice made by an individual or body of individuals, especially in an election.

2. the means by which such expression is made, as a ballot, ticket, or show of hands.

3. the right to such expression.

   The 19th Amendment gave women the vote.

4. the total number of votes cast.

   The heavy vote was a result of a new law that allows mailed-in ballots to be scanned days in advance of the close of voting.

5. the decision reached by voting, as by a majority of ballots cast.

   The vote was in favor of the resolution.

6. a particular group of voters, or their collective expression of will as inferred from their votes.

   Two large unions endorsed the candidate on Monday, as he continues to court the labor vote.

7. an informal expression of approval, agreement, or judgment.

   My vote is for pepperoni—anchovies on pizza are gross!

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verb (used without object)

• votes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• voted,
  past participle,  past
• voting
  present participle

1. to express or signify will or choice in a matter, as by casting a ballot: Don’t blame me if this film gives you nightmares—I voted for the romcom.

   Only three Republicans broke with their party to vote against the measure.

   Don’t blame me if this film gives you nightmares—I voted for the romcom.

verb (used with object)

• votes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• voted,
  past participle,  past
• voting
  present participle

1. to enact, establish, or determine by vote.

   Threats were made against members of Congress who voted the bill into law.

2. to support by one's vote.

   When Susan B. Anthony defied the law and voted in 1872, she proudly voted the Republican ticket.

3. to advocate by or as if by one's vote: I vote we go to Disney World.

   The committee voted that the report be accepted.

   I vote we go to Disney World.

4. to declare or decide by general consent.

   They voted the trip a success.

5. to encourage or cause to vote, especially in a particular way.

vote British  

/ vəʊt /

noun

1. an indication of choice, opinion, or will on a question, such as the choosing of a candidate, by or as if by some recognized means, such as a ballot

   10 votes for Jones

2. the opinion of a group of persons as determined by voting

   it was put to the vote

   do not take a vote

   it came to a vote

3. a body of votes or voters collectively

   the Jewish vote

4. the total number of votes cast

   the vote decreased at the last election

5. the ticket, ballot, etc, by which a vote is expressed

6. 1. the right to vote; franchise; suffrage

   2. a person regarded as the embodiment of this right

7. a means of voting, such as a ballot

8. a grant or other proposition to be voted upon

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verb

1. (when tr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to express or signify (one's preference, opinion, or will) (for or against some question, etc)

   to vote by ballot

   we voted that it was time to adjourn

   vote for me!

2. (intr) to declare oneself as being (something or in favour of something) by exercising one's vote

   to vote socialist

3. (tr; foll by into or out of, etc) to appoint or elect (a person to or from a particular post)

   they voted him into the presidency

   he was voted out of office

4. (tr) to determine the condition of in a specified way by voting

   the court voted itself out of existence

5. (tr) to authorize, confer, or allow by voting

   vote us a rise

6. informal (tr) to declare by common opinion

   the party was voted a failure

7. (tr) to influence or control the voting of

   do not try to vote us!

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prevote
  noun
• revote
  noun
• revote
  verb
• unvoted
  adjective
• unvoting
  adjective
• votable
  adjective
• voteless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• votes
  plural

Participles

• voting
  present
• voted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• vote
  simple
• votes
  simple
• have voted
  perfect
• has voted
  perfect
• am voting
  progressive
• are voting
  progressive
• is voting
  progressive
• have been voting
  perfect progressive
• has been voting
  perfect progressive

Past

• voted
  simple
• had voted
  perfect
• was voting
  progressive
• were voting
  progressive
• had been voting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will vote
  simple
• will have voted
  perfect
• will be voting
  progressive
• will have been voting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of vote

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English noun from Latin vōtum “a vow made to a deity; prayer, desire, hope”; see also vow

Explanation

Your vote is your official choice on some specific question. You might feel that your vote hardly counts in a Presidential election, though your vote for student council treasurer might feel like it has a lot more importance. A vote is a formal noting of your preference, in an online poll or sitting in a circle with your book group, or when you cast it on a ballot at a polling place. To voice that preference is also to vote, either officially or more casually: "Let's all vote on a group costume for Halloween this year — a bag of jelly beans or the seven dwarfs?" The Latin root of vote is votum, "a vow, wish, or promise."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vote votes voted voting

But as this year's first vote got under way, the writing was on the castle wall.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

The Florida vote comes as homeowners across the nation have expressed frustration over big jumps in their property taxes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

“Having a kid is a vote for the future,” Musk says in the film.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Another federal law prohibits voter intimidation, with up to a yearlong prison sentence for anybody who intimidates, threatens, or coerces somebody else with the purpose of interfering with another person’s right to vote.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026

Two cuco attacks in two towns, during a vote involving Spares, was fishy enough on its own, but three was a conspiracy.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

That would, in theory at least, set a firm and realistic agenda, cutting the endless hours of gruelling negotiations that often dominate COP meetings before votes are taken on individual technical points.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Year: 2016 Compiled by: Jonathan L. Fischer, Ian Prasad Philbrick, and Daniel Hubbard Of note: The state represented at No. 1 has not given its electoral votes to a Republican presidential candidate since George H.W.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

The majority French-speaking province has held other votes on this, in 1980 and 1995.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The National Assembly had just given final approval to the 2023 accounts, casting votes based on figures that now appeared erroneous.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

By the end of the roll call, James Abram Garfield had won enough votes to become the Republican Party's nominee, beating out Grant, Blaine, and Sherman.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

"This is me with men all the time," joked comedian Joanne McNally, who hadn't voted for Grant.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Almost 90 percent of the 2,258 eligible union members at the Taoyuan plant voted in favour of strike action, according to figures given by Chen.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

‘DWTS’ pro Witney Carson took to social media following Week 3 of Season 35 to address rumors that she wished to be voted off alongside celebrity partner Guillermo Rodriguez because of her pregnancy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

The MPC voted to change its stance to “calibrated tightening” from “neutral,” by a majority of 4-2.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The next spring the town council voted to widen the road on each side of the railroad tracks, which meant the Cold Sassy tree had to go.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

They also provide information on how renters can overcome obstacles to getting to the voting booth, including securing child care and transportation.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

By now, many Black Democrats have made clear that they intend on voting for him.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

L.A. voting rights groups rally to recruit poll watchers, launch protection programs, and counter potential election disruption in the November vote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Viewers will have to wait until the next episode to see how the round table goes, as the episode finished before voting had even started.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Overall, this measure ended up undermining the suffragists, because the low voter turnout suggested that women were apathetic about voting.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• choose
• declare
• determine
• elect
• enact
• establish
• grant
• propose
• recommend
• return