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View synonyms for

ballot

[ bal-uht ]

noun

  1. a slip or sheet of paper on which a person's vote is marked.
  2. the method of secret voting by means of printed or written slips or sheets of paper or by means of voting machines.
  3. voting in general, or a round of voting:

    Our candidate was defeated on the third ballot.

  4. the list of candidates to be voted on:

    They succeeded in getting her name placed on the ballot.

  5. the right to vote:

    to gain the ballot after years of struggle.

  6. the whole number of votes cast or recorded.
  7. a system or the practice of drawing lots:

    The assassin would be chosen by ballot.

  8. (formerly) a little ball used in voting.


verb (used without object)

balloted, balloting.
  1. to vote:

    to ballot against a candidate.

  2. to draw lots:

    to ballot for places.

verb (used with object)

balloted, balloting.
  1. to canvass or solicit (a group, membership, etc.) for votes:

    Members were balloted on the resolution.

  2. to select, especially for military service:

    Certain age groups will not be balloted at this time.

ballot

/ ˈæə /

noun

  1. the democratic practice of selecting a representative, a course of action, or deciding some other choice by submitting the options to a vote of all qualified persons
  2. an instance of voting, usually in secret using ballot papers or a voting machine
  3. the paper on which a vote is recorded
  4. a list of candidates standing for office
  5. the number of votes cast in an election
  6. a random selection of successful applicants for something in which the demand exceeds the supply, esp for shares in an oversubscribed new issue
  7. the allocation by ballot of farming land among eligible candidates, such as ex-servicemen
  8. a low-interest housing loan allocated by building societies by drawing lots among its eligible members
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to vote or elicit a vote from

    we balloted the members on this issue

  2. trusually foll byfor to select (officials, etc) by lot or ballot or to select (successful applicants) at random
  3. troften foll byfor to vote or decide (on an issue, etc)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ldz· noun
  • ԴDz·ldz·Բ noun
  • ·ldz verb (used with object) preballoted preballoting
  • ·ldz noun verb (used without object)
  • ܲ·ldz· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ballot1

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French ballotte, from Venetian Italian ballotta, equivalent to ball ( a ) ball 1 + -otta diminutive suffix
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ballot1

C16: from Italian ballotta , literally: a little ball, from balla ball 1
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Idioms and Phrases

see stuff the ballot box .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

With the cure process on hold in court, previously planned events to help voters cure ballots have also been put on pause.

From

It's not yet clear if they have secured a majority and the counting of ballots is ongoing.

From

The Liberals and the Conservatives have dominated the popular vote, with both parties receiving more than 40% of ballots counted across Canada so far.

From

Also on the ballot for the Class of 2025 are Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Maná, Billy Idol and the White Stripes, among others.

From

Californians may see a voter ID ballot measure in 2026, but do we need one?

From

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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.

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