ballot
noun · verb
Simple meaning
The total of all the votes cast in an election.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
baluhtSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbælət
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The total of all the votes cast in an election.
The process of voting, especially in secret; a round of voting.
originally
A small ball placed in a container to cast a vote; now, by extension, a piece of paper or card used for this purpose, or some other means used to signify a vote.
chiefly us
A list of candidates running for office; a ticket.
verb
transitive
To invite to vote on a proposal.
intransitive
To draw lots.
intransitive
To vote or decide by ballot.
“The voters were balloting in this state.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The total of all the votes cast in an election.
Used this way, ballot is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It turns up most in government or politics contexts.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where it naturally appears
- Government/politics
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
A choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A box where voters deposit their ballots.
A ballot that is cast while absent (usually mailed in prior to election day).
A vote in which each person's choice is secret but the totaled votes are public.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- referendumnoun
- thresholdnoun
- candidatenoun
- nomineenoun
- voteverb
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: total of all the votes cast in an election
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