wave election

American  

[weyv i-lek-shuhn] / ˈweɪv ɪˌlɛk ʃən /

noun

Politics.

1. an election in which one party makes significant gains in Congress, at the state level, or in a parliament.

   a wave election that saw Republicans win control of the House and flip seven Senate seats.

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Etymology

Origin of wave election

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

“In a narrow election the postmortem is a bunch of woulda, shoulda, coulda. In a wave election, the postmortem is a bunch of ’welp,’” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2022

Each wave election features a late-night upset that just seems like a gratuitous insult to the drunk, depressed, and already-losing side.

From Slate • Oct. 22, 2022

None of that surprises Simon Rosenberg, the founder of New Democrat Network who helped propel Democratic candidates in the wave election of 2018.

From New York Times • Aug. 24, 2022

Mr. Cox, of Fresno, defeated incumbent Republican David Valadao in California’s 21st congressional district as a part of the Democratic wave election in the 2018 midterms.

From Washington Times • Aug. 16, 2022

FDR took office in 1933 after a historic wave election, with Democrats holding a 313-117 advantage in the House and 58 of the 96 seats in the Senate.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2021