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!

---

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

---

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

The vote was scheduled for 1992 but never took place.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

We vote more or less when and where we want—by mail, in person, early, late.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

If the measure passes the popular vote, the question will return to the legislature where elected officials will have the final say.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

No one disputes U.S. prosecutors may bring criminal fraud charges against noncitizens who violate a federal law by registering with a state to vote and casting an illegal ballot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Given the sharp sectional divisions in the debate, the vote to refer the petitions to a committee was surprisingly one-sided, 43 to 11; seven of the negative votes came from South Carolina and Georgia.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Two votes were to take place on the proposals.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

“I think some folks have been questioning whether they can get the votes done to make it happen,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Colorado’s Amendment 84 is a similar rule for postal votes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her challenger Nithya Raman darted across the city over the weekend, foraging for votes as the clock ticks down before Tuesday’s election.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

On learning of this request the crowd outside the Tribune booed and hissed, correctly interpreting the move as an attempt to gain time to lobby for more votes.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

"We like to stay out of people's business," Tim McKinnon, a Republican in Iowa who voted for Trump in 2024 told me last month.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Before Hinojosa arrived on stage, the host ushered to the microphone a woman who identified herself as a 46-year-old Houston native who had never voted before.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

Blagojević joined students organizing through plenums, open assemblies at university faculties where participants debated and voted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

At a polling station in Sofia, 64-year-old teacher Krassimira Kostova said she voted despite dissatisfaction with both candidates.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

A member of Parliament, arguing against the stamp tax, said that the colonists, who had no representatives in Parliament, were being burdened with a tax they had not voted on.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Millions of Americans are voting in midterm elections.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Early voting had already seen strong turnout, including among influence blocs such as Latino and Black voters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Meanwhile, early voting records have been smashed around the country, in places like South Carolina and Ohio.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

We can survive the degradation of the symbolic national unity of voting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

I peeked when we were raising our hands for voting, and I only got one vote, and that was from me.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

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

---