general election

noun

: an election usually held at regular intervals in which candidates are elected in all or most constituencies of a nation or state

Examples of general election in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Furthermore, some of the high-profile billionaires who previously showed support to Cuomo have since decided to back current Mayor Adams in the general election, including hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 19 July 2025 Arizona’s 7th district is heavily Democratic leaning, according to the Cook Political Report, meaning whoever wins Tuesday’s primary will be a heavy favorite in the Sept. 23 general election. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025 Grijalva will advance to the general election this fall, where she is expected to come out on top in the reliably blue district. Elena Moore, NPR, 18 July 2025 Spartz, of course, changed her mind and won a divisive nine-person Republican primary in May and cruised to a third term during the general election in November. Brittany Carloni, IndyStar, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for general election

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general election was in 1640

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Cite this Entry

“General election.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general%20election. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

general election

noun
: an election usually held at regular intervals in which candidates are elected in all or most constituencies of a nation or state

More from Merriam-Webster on general election

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