vote of confidence
Americannoun
-
-
(in a legislative or similar body) a formal vote, especially after the introduction of a crucial and controversial piece of policy, to determine whether the majority of members are still prepared to allow the party or person in power to continue governing.
The Opposition called for a vote of confidence in parliament yesterday.
With the Tory Party deeply divided, the PM lost a vote of confidence on his Irish policy and had to resign.
-
a favorable outcome of such a vote for the person or party in power.
The Knesset gave a slim vote of confidence to the eight-party coalition government.
-
-
any formal vote in favor of a person or party already in power, a policy or program, etc..
Despite record low turnout, he called the election result a vote of confidence for his party.
-
any expression of support.
Your subscription to our magazine is a vote of confidence for our advocacy work.
Etymology
Origin of vote of confidence
First recorded in 1730–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He gave his skipper a vote of confidence at the beginning of last month, telling MLB.com that the Mets “don’t view this as a manager problem, and we don’t intend to make a change.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Rising quits — workers voluntarily leaving jobs to pursue better opportunities — are a vote of confidence in the economy’s vibrancy.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 6, 2026
The chancellor views Universal's total investment of £6bn as a "big vote of confidence" in the UK.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Bringing back that seemingly outdated approach to film performance, with its unique speed and humor, for a modern, big-scale series was a risk for the producers, Cage admits, and a vote of confidence in him.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
Molly hardly expected a big vote of confidence from Dina, but she has some doubts herself.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
