tabulate

1 of 2

verb

tab·​u·​late ˈta-byə-ˌlāt 

tabulated; tabulating

transitive verb

1

: to count, record, or list systematically

2

: to put into tabular form

tabulation

ˌta-byə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

tabulator

ˈta-byə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

tabulation

2 of 2

noun

tab·​u·​la·​tion ˌtabyəˈlāshən 

plural -s

1

: the act or process of tabulating

the tabulation of results

2

: a result of tabulating : table

his aim was to gain international acceptance for this tabulation

—Roger Burlingame

Examples of tabulate in a Sentence

Verb

A machine is used to tabulate the votes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Jenkins said the ballots would be taken to the county Board of Elections after polls close at 9 pm and tabulated there. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026

On Tuesday, the President is set to remain at the White House into the evening as states from coast to coast tabulate the election results, according to a White House official. — Philip Wang, Time, 3 Nov. 2026

Trump in the past has criticized California for being one of the slowest states in the nation to finish tabulating its election results due to its large population and high number of voters who mail in their ballots. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Democrats also have early leads in North Carolina’s Congressional races, although Election Day votes have yet to be tabulated in most counties. — Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Latin tabula tablet

First Known Use

Verb

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for tabulate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

tabulate

verb

tab·​u·​late ˈtab-yə-ˌlāt 

tabulated; tabulating

: to count and record in an orderly way

tabulate votes

tabulation

ˌtab-yə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

tabulator

ˈtab-yə-ˌlāt-ər 

noun