popularity contest
noun
: a contest or situation in which the person who wins or is most successful is the one who is most popular rather than the one who is most skillful, qualified, etc.
The election was just a popularity contest. Voters didn't really care about the issues.
—often used to say that someone or something is not popularAfter laying off hundreds of workers, the company isn't going to win any popularity contests around here.
Examples of popularity contest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Take, for example, the race for governor, the highest office in the mock government, which quickly becomes a popularity contest.
—
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2024
Gobert may never win a popularity contest among fans and fellow players, but coaches around the NBA have a firm grasp of his value and could potentially recognize it with an all-star selection.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2024
This is always going to be a flash-and-fame popularity contest.
—Greg Moore, The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
Because his very identity—as his family’s protector, the redeemer of its name and the breaker of its curse—is bound to the prospect of his sons’ successes in the ring, his professional favor is also a paternal popularity contest.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2023
The race for delegates is not a popularity contest.
—ABC News, 29 Oct. 2023
If the Grammys are a popularity contest, then potential rap category nominees will have to contend with major records from Gunna, Travis Scott and DJ Khaled.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Oct. 2023
The valedictorian didn't win the popularity contest.
—Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023
For many years, U.S. News has been criticized for incorporating physician opinion in its rankings, causing many to object that providers with big names enjoyed an unfair advantage, likening the honor roll to a popularity contest.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2024
Gobert may never win a popularity contest among fans and fellow players, but coaches around the NBA have a firm grasp of his value and could potentially recognize it with an all-star selection.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2024
This is always going to be a flash-and-fame popularity contest.
—Greg Moore, The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
Because his very identity—as his family’s protector, the redeemer of its name and the breaker of its curse—is bound to the prospect of his sons’ successes in the ring, his professional favor is also a paternal popularity contest.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2023
The race for delegates is not a popularity contest.
—ABC News, 29 Oct. 2023
If the Grammys are a popularity contest, then potential rap category nominees will have to contend with major records from Gunna, Travis Scott and DJ Khaled.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Oct. 2023
The valedictorian didn't win the popularity contest.
—Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023
For many years, U.S. News has been criticized for incorporating physician opinion in its rankings, causing many to object that providers with big names enjoyed an unfair advantage, likening the honor roll to a popularity contest.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'popularity contest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near popularity contest
Cite this Entry
“Popularity contest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popularity%20contest. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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